State Department: free speech, religious liberty under attack in United Kingdom 

The US flagged a worsening human rights situation in the United Kingdom in an Aug. 13 State Department report, citing concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression and religious liberty.

The department’s “2024 Country Reports of Human Rights Practices” said the UK imposed “serious restrictions on freedom of expression” in 2024, including criminal and civil penalties that limit speech. 

One case highlighted was that of Adam Smith-Connor, who was convicted in October 2024 for silently praying across the street from an abortion facility in Bournemouth, Dorset. A court determined that he breached a local “safe zone” law and fined him £9,000, CatholicVote reported.

These “buffer zone” laws ban any attempt to “influence” around abortion facilities, according to Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International. Smith-Connor is appealing the decision with ADF International’s support. His hearing was scheduled for July 28, but no ruling has been reported.

US Vice President JD Vance raised Smith-Connor’s case at the Munich Security Conference in February, calling the buffer zone law “badly written.” 

Vance said it reflected a broader trend in the UK. He noted that in October 2024, Scottish residents received official letters warning that even private prayer inside their homes could be considered illegal within designated “safe access zones.” 

The report also flagged the UK’s Online Safety Act, which took effect in 2024. 

It expands the authority of the UK Office of Communications over American media and technology companies with large UK audiences. Experts warn it could force platforms to weaken encryption and compromise user privacy, the report said. 

In Scotland, the April 2024 Hate Crime and Public Order Act criminalizes “stirring up hatred” through speech or online posts, with penalties of up to seven years in prison, the report said. 

ADF International’s London legal counsel, Lorcan Price, called the report a sobering warning. 

“It’s plain to see that the censorship crisis is worsening in the UK,” Price said, “from citizens being arrested and prosecuted just for praying in their heads, to the Online Safety Act clamping down on free expression online.”

He welcomed US attention to the issue, while “more and more Brits speak out in defence of our hard-fought freedom of speech.”

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