from Christian Today
Scottish grandmother Rose Docherty has welcomed the news that the Crown Office will not be appealing the decision to clear her of charges relating to a supposed breach of an abortion clinic “buffer zone”.
Under Scotland’s buffer zone law, “influencing” a person seeking an abortion is not permitted within 200 metres of an abortion providing facility.
Docherty was arrested last year for silently standing in such a zone while holding a sign that read ‘Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want’.
On 27 April a judge at Glasgow Sheriff Court dismissed two criminal charges against Docherty in what was hailed as a victory for freedom of speech. The Crown Office had one week to appeal the decision, something they declined to do.
While welcoming the decision, Docherty and her supporters have responded cautiously, perhaps as a result of the Päivi Räsänen case.
Räsänen, a Finnish politician, was acquitted of inciting hatred against LGBT people for co-authoring a pamphlet supporting traditional Christian views on sexuality. State prosecutors however took the political decision to appeal the verdict, dragging the case out in total for seven years and eventually leading to a conviction in March. She plans to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
Both Docherty and Räsänen have been supported by legal advocacy group ADF International.
Read also: Christian mother cleared after landmark abortion buffer zone case falls apart, Premier