Free Speech

The Latest

The Helsinki Court of Appeal on Nov. 14, 2023, fully dismissed “hate speech” charges against Finnish grandmother and lawmaker Päivi Räsänen, who was on trial for expressing her biblical, religious views on marriage and sexuality.

‘Hate speech’ charges dismissed for Finnish lawmaker who defended traditional marriage

Nov 14, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

Päivi Räsänen had been charged after publicly sharing her biblical, religious views on marriage as between one man and one... Read more

Päivi Räsänen, Finland’s interior minister from 2011 to 2015.

Finnish lawmaker on trial for ‘hate speech’ for defending traditional marriage

Aug 30, 2023

By Peter Pinedo

Päivi Räsänen is on trial this week for using Bible verses to express her support for traditional marriage.  Read more

Debra Vitagliano.

States and pro-life groups urge Supreme Court to end abortion ‘bubble’ zones 

Aug 28, 2023

By Peter Pinedo

In all, 18 different amicus briefs were filed in support of pro-life free speech in a case involving Debra Vitagliano,... Read more

Ihar Losik, a Belarusian political prisoner and Catholic.

Catholic blogger remains detained in Belarus after criticizing regime

Jul 31, 2023

By Jonah McKeown

Already three years into his 15-year prison sentence for criticizing the country’s regime, Ihar Losik has not been heard from... Read more

Shellyne Rodriguez vandalized a pro-life display on May 2 that was sponsored by Students for Life of America.

UPDATE: NYC professor who vandalized student pro-life display is fired

May 23, 2023

By Joe Bukuras

A professor at Hunter College in New York City had vandalized a pro-life display on May 2 that was sponsored... Read more

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Study: Most American corporations receive failing grades in religious freedom, free speech

May 18, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

A report that reviewed the policies of 75 major American corporations found rampant disregard for religious freedom and free speech. Read more

Photo illustration.

Twitter ends speech restrictions on transgender issues

Apr 19, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

Twitter quietly updated its policy on “hateful conduct” to remove its bans on “deadnaming” and “misgendering” transgender people. Read more

Cornell University in Ithaca, New York

Cornell rejects student group’s call for ‘trigger warnings’

Apr 5, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

The leaders of Cornell University have rejected a student resolution advocating that the university mandate “content warnings for traumatic content... Read more

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Lawsuit: National Archives Museum staff wrongly harassed pro-life visitors

Feb 14, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

Pro-life advocates who visited the museum last month have filed a lawsuit charging that museum staff told them to remove... Read more

Father Sean Gough, a Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, England, faced criminal charges for praying for free speech outside an abortion clinic after business hours in violation of a strict buffer zone law in the English city of Birmingham. “I pray wherever I go, inside my head, for the people around me. How can it be a crime for a priest to pray?” he said in a Feb. 9, 2023, statement from the ADF UK legal group.

Priest charged for praying for free speech in U.K. abortion clinic ‘buffer zone’

Feb 10, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

Police charged the Catholic priest with “intimidating service users” of the abortion clinic. Read more

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UK Supreme Court rules in favor of banning prayer, protests at abortion clinics

Dec 7, 2022

By Kevin J. Jones

The law prohibits “direct” and “indirect” pro-life “influence,” broadly defined, within 100 meters (about 328 feet) of an abortion provider. Read more

Livia Tossici-Bolt says she was urged by council officers to “move on” after praying in public near an abortion center in Bournemouth, England.

UK Supreme Court to rule on ‘censorship zone’ outside abortion facilities

Dec 6, 2022

By Madeleine Teahan

Pro-life and free-speech campaigners in the United Kingdom are awaiting a landmark ruling from the Supreme Court on Wednesday. Read more

Salman Rushdie speaks at the Frankfurt Bookfair, Oct. 12, 2017.

Salman Rushdie attacked at lecture in New York

Aug 12, 2022

By CNA Staff

The author Salman Rushdie, whose novel “The Satanic Verses” led to a call for his assassination from Iran’s Supreme Leader... Read more

Päivi Räsänen, Finland’s interior minister from 2011 to 2015, speaks to reporters while holding her Bible at Helsinki District Court on Jan. 24, 2022.

Bible tweet trial: Finland’s state prosecutor files appeal

May 3, 2022

By CNA Staff

‘I am dismayed that the prosecutor will not let this campaign against me drop,’ said Päivi Räsänen. Read more

Lorie Smith, owner and founder of 303 Creative.

US Supreme Court to hear case of web designer who objects to gay marriage

Feb 23, 2022

By CNA Staff

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to hear the case of a Colorado web designer who fears prosecution under state... Read more

A 40 Days for Life prayer vigil outside an abortion clinic in Madrid.

Spanish bill that would criminalize prayer near abortion clinics called a 'danger to democracy'

Nov 11, 2021

By Blanca Ruiz

An international 40 Days for Life director has said a bill proposed by the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party that... Read more

Anna Fleischer, president of Oxford Students for Life, at Oxford University’s Student Union’s Freshers’ Fair, Oct. 6, 2021.

‘They’re not going to succeed’: Pro-life societies stand firm in face of opposition on England’s campuses

Oct 26, 2021

By CNA Staff

Protesters targeted a pro-life stand at Oxford University’s Freshers’ Fair. Read more

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​​Bible, Quran apps removed from Apple app store for China, legal pressure cited

Oct 18, 2021

By Kevin J. Jones

Under pressure from Chinese law, a digital Bible company has removed its app from Apple’s app store offerings in China... Read more

A 40 Days for Life prayer vigil outside an abortion clinic in Madrid.

Spain's lower house advances bill that would criminalize pro-life witness near abortion clinics

Sep 22, 2021

By Blanca Ruiz

The lower house of Spain's legislature voted Tuesday to take up consideration of a bill proposed by the ruling Spanish... Read more

Brief argues Virginia court was right to uphold teacher's rights over pronoun policy

Jul 1, 2021

By CNA Staff

Tanner Cross, a Virginia Elementary School teacher, filed a brief in the Virginia Supreme Court on Wednesday in response to... Read more