Almost 60,000 people signed a letter to defend religious freedom in the UK

Nearly 60,000 people have signed a letter to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, calling for action to protect freedom of thought and silent prayer. The initiative has been promoted by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF UK), which represents army veteran Adam Smith-Connor, who last week was fined £9,000 for praying silently inside a security zone at an abortion clinic in Bournemouth.

“Freedom of thought is a fundamental and non-negotiable right,” says the letter, which has long been enshrined in international human rights instruments such as British law and international human rights instruments.

The text warns that criminalizing silent prayer would be “deeply worrying”, as suggested by MP Sir Keir. “Praying in silence is not a crime and the state should not have control over private thoughts,” the letter asserted.

Smith-Connor’s legal team, supported by the ADF, is considering whether to appeal the sentence. Meanwhile, a petition launched by the ADF warns that the case could set a dangerous precedent in the UK, risking the criminalization of even silent thoughts and private reflections.

The petition describes the situation of Smith-Connor, who was praying with her back to the clinic. “For example, if he prays about climate change, there won’t be a trial date,” he notes. According to the document, Smith-Connor’s actions did not prompt the charge, but the content of her thoughts were interpreted as an expression of disapproval of abortion.

Smith-Connor’s case also brings to light other similar cases, such as that of Isabelle Vaughan-Sprouse, who was acquitted and formally pardoned following a six-month investigation by West Midlands Police. In August, Vaughan-Sprouse won £13,000 in damages after admitting her fundamental rights had been breached.

Smith-Connor’s conviction raises serious concerns about the “safe access zones” that will come into effect at abortion clinics in England and Wales from October 31. Under the new rules, “influencing” a person’s decision to access abortion services within a 150-metre radius of a clinic is an offence, punishable by an unlimited fine.

According to ADF UK, the United Kingdom is “the target of international criticism” because of these cases. “How can we defend human rights on the world stage as the first Western country to criminalize thought and prayer?”