A Christian pastor who was convicted after preaching the Bible near an abortion clinic has launched an appeal against the ruling. Clive Johnston, 78, from Strabane, Northern Ireland, was convicted after preaching the Bible near Causeway Hospital in Coleraine in July 2024.
On May 7, he was convicted for violating the country's Safe Access Zone laws, accused of attempting to "influence" someone - despite the fact Mr Johnston did not directly reference abortion.
It marked the first instance of someone being prosecuted for preaching a sermon which did not mention abortion. He is also being supported by the US Department of State, who have called the case an "egregious violation" of Mr Johnston's "fundamental rights". After his intent to appeal, Mr Johnston said: "This ruling sets a deeply troubling precedent. I was not protesting abortion.
"I was peacefully preaching the Gospel, reading from the Bible, and pointing people to the hope found in Jesus Christ."If this conviction is allowed to stand, it will signal that basic Christian witness and public expressions of faith can be criminalised simply because they take place in the wrong location.
Clive Johnston is now set to appeal his conviction
| THE CHRISTIAN INSTITUTE"That should concern every person who values freedom of religion and freedom of expression, regardless of their views on abortion." Mr Johnston, a grandfather of seven, delivered a short open-air sermon on John 3:16 "for God so loved the world" within 100 metres of a hospital on the day he was arrested.
Legislation introduced in 2022 in Northern Ireland created eight 100 metre to 150 metre buffer zones around hospitals and abortion clinics to separate patients and staff from protesters. It is a criminal offence for people to be "impeded, recorded, influenced or to be caused harassment, alarm or distress", within the buffer zones.
FULL ARTICLE AT: https://www.gbnews.com/news/free-speech-christian-pastor-bible-abortion-clinic-appeal-ruling
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