German court overturns ban on prayer gatherings outside abortion centre

A pro-life group in Germany cannot be banned from holding silent prayer gatherings outside abortion centres, a court has ruled.

In 2019, members of 40 Days for Life were banned from conducting a 40-day prayer assembly within direct sight of Pforzheim’s Pro Familia abortion centre during its opening hours.

But after three years of legal wrangling, Mannheim Administrative Court has now overturned the ban.

‘Thought crimes’

The court stated that “the special significance of the freedom of assembly” must be recognised, which, like freedom of expression, “is necessary for a free democratic state order”.

Pavica Vojnović, leader of the Pforzheim pro-life group, welcomed the ruling: “Every human life is valuable and deserves protection.

“I am heartened that we will be able to resume our prayer vigils in support of women and their unborn children in the place where we think it makes the most sense. It is a great relief that the court has recognised our fundamental freedoms”.

Felix Boellmann, of religious liberty group Alliance Defending Freedom, which brought the case, warned: “The silencing of pro-life expression, including prayer, is a reoccurring issue across Europe. When the government starts prohibiting silent prayer in certain places, we enter the business of policing thought crimes — a frightening proposition for all.”

Every human life is valuable and deserves protection.

Scotland

Earlier this year, leading human rights lawyer Aidan O’Neill QC warned that plans to trial censorship zones around abortion clinics in Scotland risk infringing civil liberties.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has backed proposals to restrict free speech in the zones, and City Councils including Glasgow and Edinburgh have said they are willing to test bans on people handing out pro-life literature, offering prayer, and speaking to women about abortion.

O’Neill said: “There is no doubt that the creation of buffer zones which seek to exclude protests or people assembling in otherwise public spaces in principle engages the protesters’ human rights”.