European high court affirms free speech for pro-life advocates
ADF Intl filed expert brief with ECHR on behalf of German pro-life organization
STRASBOURG, France – The European Court of Human Rights has ruled in favor of German pro-life advocate Klaus Annen, upholding his right to freedom of expression. German courts had banned him from distributing leaflets in front of abortion clinics and naming the doctors running those clinics on his website.When the ECHR took on the case, ADF International filed an expert brief in Annen v. Germany on behalf of Aktion Lebensrecht für Alle, one of Germany’s largest pro-life organizations, arguing that the ECHR should protect freedom of speech in line with its previous case law.
“The ECHR has had a longstanding tradition of giving robust protection to freedom of expression, including expression that is offensive, shocking, and disturbing,” said ADF International Senior Legal Counsel Paul Coleman. “Klaus Annen’s case is a victory for free speech advocates across the continent.”
ADF International’s intervention brief reminded the court of the importance of advocacy groups to the democratic process and the interest a broad public audience takes in the issue of abortion.
In its judgment issued Nov. 26, the court agreed with that reasoning and confirmed the sensitivity of the moral and ethical issues raised. It recognized the importance of the public interest at stake and ruled that freedom of expression on pro-life issues will enjoy full protection under the European Convention on Human Rights.
The legal arguments ADF International provided point out the right to freedom of expression under the convention, and that a decision against Annen would have wider consequences for freedom of speech across Germany and possibly all of Europe.
“In a free society people must not be silenced just because others do not like what they have to say,” Coleman added. “That would denote the beginning of the end of our democratic process.”
ADF International is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.
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ABOUT Paul Coleman
Paul Coleman serves as executive director of ADF International, overseeing the legal advocacy of all ADF International offices. Specializing in international human rights and European law, Coleman has been involved in more than 20 cases before the European Court of Human Rights and has authored submissions before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, UN Human Rights Committee, and numerous national courts. Coleman earned his LL.M. and postgraduate diploma in legal practice from the Northumbria Law School, graduating with distinction. He also has a bachelor of laws from Newcastle University and graduated with first-class honours. Coleman is a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales and is the author of two books and numerous articles.