U.S. State Department Applauds Scotland’s Decision to Drop Case Against Pro-Life Grandmother Rose Dov

U.S. State Department Applauds Scotland’s Decision to Drop Case Against Pro-Life Grandmother Rose Docherty
  • Washington voices support after authorities back down from prosecuting grandmother arrested under Scotland’s “buffer zone” law 
  • Rose Docherty, 75, held a sign reading “coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want”

GLASGOW (18 August 2025) – The United States Department of State has welcomed Scotland’s decision to drop legal action against 75-year-old grandmother Rose Docherty, who was arrested earlier this year for holding a sign offering peaceful conversation near Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth II Hospital. 

In a statement to The Telegraph, a State Department spokesperson said: 

“We applaud Scotland’s sensible decision to refrain from further legal action against Rose Docherty.

“The United States stands with all those fighting for free speech and religious liberty.” 

Docherty, a lifelong Glaswegian, was arrested and later issued a formal warning in February 2025 after standing quietly within 200 metres of the hospital – an area covered by Scotland’s new “buffer zone” law. Her sign read: “Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want.” 

““We applaud Scotland’s sensible decision to refrain from further legal action against Rose Docherty.

- U.S. State Dept. Spokesperson

The law prohibits harassment, intimidation, or attempts to influence somebody’s decision to access an abortion facility. Despite engaging in none of these activities, Docherty was arrested and issued with a formal warning, which would have required her to admit wrongdoing and refrain from similar actions in the future. 

Docherty refused to accept the warning, maintaining that she had broken no law. This week, the Procurator Fiscal confirmed the case has been dropped and the warning withdrawn.  

Authorities also agreed to return her sign. 

Reacting to the decision, Rose Docherty said: 

“This is a victory not just for me, but for everyone in Scotland who believes we should be free to hold a peaceful conversation.  

“I stood with love and compassion, ready to listen to anyone who wanted to talk. Criminalising kindness has no place in a free society.” 

Concerns about the buffer zones legislation escalated earlier this year when the law’s architect, Green Party MSP Gillian Mackay, admitted in a BBC interview that even visible prayer in a private home could be considered an offence if seen from within a buffer zone. 

Lois McLatchie Miller, Scottish spokesperson for ADF International, which supported Rose Docherty’s defence, said: 

“Every Scot has the right to speak freely and to offer compassionate conversation without fear of prosecution. 

“It’s vital for allies to stand together in defence of this fundamental freedom, and we welcome the outpouring of support Rose has received both at home and abroad, including from the United States, which is a key voice for the protection of free speech worldwide.” 

ADF International will continue supporting individuals like Docherty, defending their right to peacefully express beliefs without fear of criminalisation. 

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Prosecutor Backs Down in Case Against Scottish Grandmother in Major Free Speech Victory

U.S. State Department Applauds Scotland’s Decision to Drop Case Against Pro-Life Grandmother Rose Docherty
  • Procurator Fiscal withdraws warning, confirms Rose Docherty will not be charged for offering consensual, peaceful conversation inside abortion “buffer zone” in Glasgow 
  • Docherty held a sign reading “Coercion is a crime, here to talk, if you want” – ADF International co-ordinated her legal defence

GLASGOW (14 August 2025) – In a win for freedom of expression in Scotland, the Procurator Fiscal has decided not to proceed with a prosecution against 75-year-old grandmother Rose Docherty, who was arrested earlier this year for holding a sign offering to talk with anyone who wished (see video above).  

The authorities have further guaranteed that Docherty’s sign will be returned to her from Police Scotland. 

"This is a victory not just for me, but for everyone in Scotland who believes we should be free to hold a peaceful conversation."

- Rose Docherty

On 19 February 2025, Docherty – a lifelong Glaswegian – stood peacefully within 200 metres of Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth II Hospital campus holding a sign that read:

“Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want.”

Her quiet presence fell within the so-called “buffer zone” around the hospital, where a new law prohibits harassment, intimidation, or influencing decisions about abortion. Despite engaging in none of these activities, Rose was arrested and later offered a formal warning requiring her to admit wrongdoing and refrain from similar actions in future.

Refusing to compromise her conscience by admitting to an offence she did not commit, Docherty – supported by the legal team at ADF International – rejected the warning outright. This week, the Procurator Fiscal confirmed the case has been dropped and the warning withdrawn.

Reacting to the news, Rose Docherty said:

“This is a victory not just for me, but for everyone in Scotland who believes we should be free to hold a peaceful conversation.

“I stood with love and compassion, ready to listen to anyone who wanted to talk. Criminalising kindness has no place in a free society.”

Lorcan Price, Irish Barrister and Legal Counsel for ADF International, said:

“No one should fear arrest for offering a consensual conversation. Rose’s case is a stark example of how ‘buffer zone’ laws can be weaponised to silence peaceful expression. 

“We are relieved that common sense has prevailed, but the fact that Rose was arrested and threatened with prosecution shows the urgent need to protect fundamental freedoms in Scotland.”

Docherty’s arrest drew international attention, with the US State Department publicly expressing concern about her arrest, adding: “Freedom of expression needs to be protected.  We call on governments, whether in Scotland or around the world, to respect freedom of expression for all.”

Gillian Mackay admits buffer zones impact prayer within homes

In February, Gillian Mackay MSP admitted that prayer by a window in one’s own home could be an offence within a buffer zone – depending on who is passing by.

Speaking to BBC’s “Scotcast” Podcast, the Green Party Politician repeatedly denied that prayer was being criminalised under the law. 

But when asked if “performative prayer” with “clasped hands”, visible from a window, could be prosecuted, she responded: “well, that depends on who’s passing by the window…”

The admission came despite previously accusing US President JD Vance of spreading “shameless misinformation” when he highlighted concerns that “even private prayer within [people’s] own homes may amount to breaking the law” in his Munich Security Conference Speech earlier this year.

Lois McLatchie Miller, Scottish spokesperson for ADF International, said: 

“We were concerned when such legislation was proposed that we’d witness a slippery slope of censorship. Less than a year after the law coming into force, Gillian Mackay has admitted that it could impact silent prayer even in private homes, depending on who’s passing by the window. And what’s more, we’ve seen an innocent grandmother arrested just for offering conversation. Who are the authorities to determine which conversations, thoughts, or prayers members of the public do or don’t want to have?”

ADF International will continue to offer legal support to individuals like Rose Docherty, defending the right to peacefully engage in conversation or prayer without fear of criminalisation.

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What Can We Learn from Iraqi Christians 11 Years After ISIS’s Attack?

Qaraqosh is home to many Iraqi Christians. It suffered great loss in 2014.

A Legacy of Faith Under Fire for Iraqi Christians

Qaraqosh is home to many Iraqi Christians. It suffered great loss in 2014.

In August 2014, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) — an extremist Sunni group — launched a violent campaign across northern Iraq. Their target: Qaraqosh, an ancient Christian city located in the Nineveh Plains.

What followed became one of the most devastating assaults on religious minorities in modern Iraqi history. Now, eleven years later, the story of Iraq’s largest Christian community is far from over, and far from hopeless.

At ADF International, we’re standing alongside Iraq’s Christians, advocating for their right to worship freely and raising global awareness of their struggle.

Christianity’s Deep Roots in Iraq

Christianity is not foreign to Iraq — it’s foundational. Long before ISIS and Islam, Christianity had already taken root in Iraq. In fact, Christianity has existed in Iraq since the first century AD, long before it reached many parts of Europe.

This makes Iraq home to some of the oldest Christian communities in the world.

The Assyrian Church of the East, the Chaldean Catholic Church, and the Syriac Orthodox Church all trace their lineage to Iraq. These churches preserve early liturgical traditions and still conduct services in Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic — the language spoken by Jesus.

Many Iraqi Christians today are ethnic Assyrians, descendants of the ancient Assyrian Empire, which once ruled over much of the Middle East. Christianity became embedded in Assyrian identity after their conversion in the first few centuries AD, blending ancient cultural heritage with deep Christian faith.

Just south of the Nineveh Plains lies the region of southern Mesopotamia, where the ancient city of Ur — the birthplace of Abraham, the patriarch through whom God’s redemptive promises and Jesus flow — is located.

This land is steeped in sacred history. But history alone has not guaranteed safety for Iraq’s Christians.

The 2014 Genocide: What Happened to Iraqi Christians

In the 2014 attack, ISIS aimed to establish a caliphate in northern Iraq, one free of Christians, Yazidis, and other minorities. Qaraqosh, the largest Christian city in Iraq, was one of its primary targets.

The violence extended far beyond Qaraqosh. Sinjar, the heartland of the Yazidi people, and Mosul, once a city of rich religious diversity, were left shattered under the same campaign of destruction.

Entire villages were emptied. Ancient Christian manuscripts and artifacts were destroyed or sold on the black market. Communities that had existed for nearly 2,000 years were uprooted in a matter of days.

The assault was systematic:

  • Churches and monasteries were burned, bombed, or turned into prisons and weapons depots.

  • Christian symbols — crosses, icons, statues — were desecrated or publicly destroyed.

  • Homes and businesses were looted and marked with the Arabic letter “ن” (nūn), short for Nasrani (Christian), a brand of targeted extermination.

  • Graves and cemeteries were desecrated in an attempt to erase memory itself.
St. John's church (Mar Yohanna) in Qaraqosh.
St. John's church (Mar Yohanna) in Qaraqosh

Christians and Yazidis were given four choices: convert to Islam, pay the jizya — a humiliating religious tax imposed on non-Muslims under extremist rule — flee, or die. Nearly 80,000 Christians fled their homes in a desperate exodus.

Women and Children: The Most Vulnerable

Women and girls, especially from Yazidi and Christian communities, suffered some of the worst atrocities. ISIS ran an organized network of slave markets where girls, some as young as nine, were bought, sold, and passed between fighters.

Over 6,800 Yazidi women and children were abducted, according to UN reports, and an unknown number of Christian girls were subjected to similar fates. Many have never been found.

In the chaos, tens of thousands sought refuge in the Kurdistan Region, where the regional government, while limited in resources, opened its borders. Most found shelter in refugee camps, unfinished buildings, or makeshift settlements. For many, those “temporary” shelters have now become permanent.

The Lasting Impact of ISIS’s Attack

Before ISIS’s brutal campaign, an estimated 350,000 Christians lived in Iraq. Today, that number has dwindled significantly.

As of 2024, it’s estimated that less than half of the original Christians who fled the Plains have returned. Security concerns, economic hardship, and limited infrastructure continue to hinder full resettlement.

Many Iraqi Christians remain uncertain about their ability to live openly and safely as Christians in their own homeland.

To defend themselves, locals formed the Nineveh Plains Protection Unit (NPU), a militia dedicated to defending their communities. By 2017, a coalition of Iraqi forces, Kurdish Peshmerga, local militias, and US-led air support liberated the region.

While ISIS may no longer control the region, Christians in Iraq continue to face:

  • Discrimination in law and daily life.

  • Threats and intimidation from militias and extremist groups.

  • Barriers to reclaiming stolen homes and properties.

  • Government failure to protect religious minorities.

  • A lack of legal recognition and representation.

These ongoing struggles reveal a deeper truth: Iraq’s legal system, still fragile after decades of conflict, has yet to prove it will uphold the rights of Iraqi Christians.

A Visit to Qaraqosh: Seeing the Present Reality

In 2021, Pope Francis visited Iraq, including Qaraqosh, bringing global attention to the plight of Iraqi Christians. His message was clear: Iraqi Christians are not forgotten.

Earlier this year, Sean Nelson, ADF International’s Legal Counsel for Global Religious Freedom, visited Qaraqosh and the surrounding areas.

Amidst ruined buildings and ongoing hardships, Sean met determined individuals working to rebuild homes, reopen churches, and restore dignity to daily life.

What Nelson Experienced

“What I saw in Qaraqosh was Christians deeply committed to rebuilding their lives and their communities after the horror of ISIS. Many churches had been renovated and restored, and one church that was over 1000 years old, but had been left in ruins for a century, had been completely rebuilt after ISIS. Crosses were proudly displayed. And the communities were committed to never forgetting what ISIS had done. Each church still had memorials and sections showing the devastation.

“Still, these communities have seen their populations cut in half since before ISIS. Religious leaders mentioned illegal and dubious encroachments on land, and a lack of political representation and economic development. They were unanimously concerned that the Iranian-backed militias surrounding them were preventing them from being fully included as members of Iraqi society.

“I saw children playing outside one church whose families had secretly converted to Christianity. They could not visit Christian services openly out of fear of violent reprisals. The religious leaders worried that if things did not change, so many people would leave and never return. They saw sustained international pressure as one of their only hopes for most Christians to be able to remain.

“In nearby Erbil, within the autonomous Kurdistan region, where many Christians fled during the ISIS attacks, Christians are able to live relatively free lives, and the local government respects them more and celebrates the religious diversity and history of the area. They still face some hardships —particularly converts from Islam, who face violent threats — but in general, there was a more inclusive vision for Christians. That same kind of inclusion should be available to Christians in the Nineveh Plains and throughout Iraq.”

Though the situation in Iraq is slowly changing, the threat to Christian communities remains a pressing concern in Iraq and beyond.

ISIS Elsewhere

Although ISIS has waned as a threat in Iraq, its influence is spreading across the Middle East and Africa. The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a Washington, DC-based counterterrorism research group, warns of what it calls a “silent genocide” targeting Christians.

In 2025

According to MEMRI, the Islamic State Mozambique Province (ISMP) recently published 20 images celebrating four separate strikes on Christian villages in the Chiure district of Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province.

The photographs depict ISIS fighters storming villages, setting fire to a church, and destroying homes. The photographs also include scenes of the beheading of a person described by the extremists as belonging to “infidel militias,” along with two Christian civilians. Additional photographs, MEMRI’s review noted, show the bodies of several people identified by the group as members of these so-called militias.

In recent weeks, Islamic State affiliates have also claimed responsibility for killing dozens of Christians during a Catholic vigil in Komanda, DRC, and for bombing the Mar Elias Church in Damascus, Syria, which killed 20 plus Christians and injured 60.

Conclusion: The Road Ahead Requires Standing for Religious Freedom in Iraq

World leaders and international institutions must urgently unite behind a clear and effective strategy to dismantle the Islamic State network before more lives are lost.

Freedom of belief and religion is a fundamental human right. We at ADF International remain committed to defending this right for Christians around the world. We are standing with them, advocating for them, and praying for a future where they can thrive in the land their ancestors have called home for centuries.

We will continue to:

  • Advocate for legal protections for religious minorities in Iraq and elsewhere
  • Support survivors in their fight to rebuild lives
  • Raise global awareness through policy engagement and media
  • Pray for a future where faith can flourish without fear

Every day that goes by without bold action puts more lives in danger. We must act now — and we are.

U.S. State Dept. Highlights Alarming Decline in Free Speech in the United Kingdom 

Adam Smith-Connor

  • New report notes “significant human rights issues” including criminal and civil laws which limit free expression 

  • Case of army veteran convicted for silent prayer highlighted as example of censorship crisis 

Adam Smith-Connor

LONDON (13 August 2025) – A newly released U.S. State Department Human Rights Report has sounded the alarm over mounting restrictions on freedom of expression in the United Kingdom – both in public spaces and online. 

The “2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices”, published this week, notes that “the human rights situation worsened in the United Kingdom” during the year 2024, adding: 

“Significant human rights issues included credible reports of serious restrictions on freedom of expression, including enforcement of or threat of criminal or civil laws in order to limit expression…” 

“Significant human rights issues included credible reports of serious restrictions on freedom of expression."

- State Department's "2024 Country Report on Human Rights Practices: UK"

Criminalizing Peaceful Expression in Public Spaces

The report identifies buffer zone laws which restrict “influence” around abortion facilities as matters of concern in the restriction of free expression.  

Citizens have been prosecuted for engaging in silent prayer or for peacefully offering information within these zones. 

The report notes that such restrictions criminalize even “efforts to influence others when inside a restricted area, even through prayer”.

The State Department notes that “in October, an individual was convicted in England for engaging in silent prayer…”. Adam Smith-Connor – an army veteran and father of two – was tried and convicted for praying silently for a few minutes across the road from an abortion facility in Bournemouth, where a local “buffer zone” was in place. Smith-Connor was ordered to pay £9,000 in costs. With support from ADF International, he is appealing the ruling later this year. 

J.D. Vance highlighted this case as one of the worst examples of censorship in Europe during his speech at the Munich Security Conference in Munich. 

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Broad and Vague Speech Crimes Online

Looking at the online world, the report highlights the Online Safety Act 2023, which came into force in 2024, which threatens free speech online and “expressly expanded Ofcom’s authority to include American media and technology firms with a substantial number of British users, regardless of whether they had a corporate presence in the UK…

“…Experts warned that one effect of the bill could be government regulation to reduce or eliminate effective encryption (and therefore user privacy) on platforms,” noted the State Department. 

The report also highlighted that in April 2024, Scotland implemented the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act, introducing sweeping new offenses for “stirring up hatred” through speech or online communication. The penalty for speech deemed to be offensive under this law is up to seven years imprisonment. 

Reacting to the report, Lorcan Price, Irish Barrister & Legal Counsel for ADF International in London, said: 

“It’s plain to see that the censorship crisis is worsening in the UK – from citizens being arrested and prosecuted just for praying in their heads, to the Online Safety Act clamping down on free expression online. Whilst these developments are deeply concerning, it’s encouraging to see Britain’s US allies highlight these issues, as more and more Brits speak out in defence of our hard-fought freedom of speech.” 

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Pictured: Adam Smith-Connor; Lorcan Price (ADF International)

Christian Arrested for Silent Prayer Back Under Investigation

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce who was arrested for silent prayer in the UK.
  • Crown Prosecution Service to advise on charging Isabel Vaughan-Spruce again for praying silently near abortion facility in Birmingham
  • Charitable volunteer, who was cleared in court and received a payout from police for being unjustly arrested twice for her silent prayers, has been consistently praying in same location for twenty years
Isabel Vaughan-Spruce who was arrested for silent prayer in the UK.

Birmingham (10th August 2025) – West Midlands Police have confirmed a live investigation into Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, who has been engaging in silent prayer on a public street near an abortion facility in Birmingham.

This marks the third time in which the police have responded to Vaughan-Spruce’s silent prayers. In 2023, the charitable volunteer was acquitted in court after being arrested for praying in a local “buffer zone”, under a Public Spaces Protection Order which banned “expressions of approval or disapproval” of abortion. The incident occurred while the abortion facility was closed. The prosecution offered no evidence to support a conviction.

“Silent prayer cannot possibly be a crime – everyone has the right to freedom of thought.”

- Isabel Vaughan-Spruce

Despite being cleared of any wrongdoing, Isabel was arrested again for the same silent thoughts in the same location weeks later, opening an investigation that lasted several months. In August 2024, Vaughan-Spruce successfully challenged her two unjust arrests and received a settlement from West Midlands Police of £13,000.

Vaughan-Spruce, who has been a charitable volunteer supporting mothers in crisis pregnancy for twenty years, has continued to pray nearby the abortion facility on a weekly basis. West Midlands Police have begun a practice of posting two police officers to watch her pray silently. On regular occasions, she has been approached by officers and asked if she is praying.

Vaughan-Spruce submitted a complaint to the police force for repeatedly harassing and interrogating her while failing to explain how she had been in breach of any law. The complaint noted that her treatment was at odds with the previous clear verdict from the courts and CPS guidance on the matter.

Her formal complaint was declined on the basis of there being a live investigation against her, despite her never being formally informed that this was the case.

West Midlands Police have now confirmed that they await advice from CPS considering next steps on the allegations against Isabel. CPS has previously decided that acts of standing silently in prayer do not meet its evidential and public interest thresholds to warrant prosecution. This approach appeared to be formalised under new guidance which noted that conduct which was not ‘overt’ would fall outside the scope of criminality (LINK). This is believed to be the first test of CPS guidance under the controversial national “buffer zone” legislation.

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce commented:

“Despite being fully vindicated multiple times after being wrongfully arrested for my thoughts, it’s unbelievable that I am still being harassed by police for silently pray in that area, and yet again find myself under investigation for the same prayers I have said for twenty years. Silent prayer cannot possibly be a crime – everyone has the right to freedom of thought.” 

Jeremiah Igunnubole, legal counsel for ADF International, who have supported Vaughan-Spruce’ legal defence, said:

“’Buffer zones’ are among the most concerning frontiers of censorship in the modern west. We all stand against harassment and abuse, but the ‘buffer zone’ lawbroadly bans “influence”, which is being interpreted by police officers to target innocent people who happen to stand in a certain place and believe a certain thing. We will continue to robustly challenge this unjust censorship, and support Isabel’s right to think and believe freely.”

Footage of Isabel’s arrest in 2022 went viral worldwide:

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Pictured: Isabel Vaughan-Spruce (x2); Isabel being arrested for her prayers (November 2022, March 2023); Jeremiah Igunnubole

“What is a Woman?” Legal Showdown Begins in Australian Federal Court

Sall Grover, founder of Giggle for Girls app. Defendent in Tickle v. Giggle.
  • Biological male “Roxanne Tickle” sued “Giggle for Girls” app, and founder Sall Grover, for female-only membership policy
  • Appeal began today (4-7 August) in pivotal case for rights of women to female-only spaces, with implications for the safety of women’s sports, crisis shelters, changing rooms and more 
Sall Grover, founder of Giggle for Girls app. Defendent in Tickle v. Giggle.

SYDNEY (1 August 2024) – The Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia has begun to hear the appeal in what has been described as the “ultimate ‘what is a woman?’ case” in a 4-day hearing from 4-7 August. 

Last summer, the Court ruled in Roxanne Tickle v. Giggle for Girls (“Tickle v. Giggle”) that “Roxanne Tickle,” a biological male who identifies as a woman, experienced unlawful discrimination when prevented from joining female-only networking app “Giggle.”  

The court found that Tickle experienced “indirect discrimination,” ordering Giggle for Girls to pay $10,000 AUD in compensation and to cover Tickle’s legal costs.  

I am optimistic. I know we are right & I know that reality always wins - eventually. Reality is inescapable.

- Sall Grover, CEO, "Giggle"

Tickle sued the female-only app on the basis that, being “legally permitted to identify as female” and having had his birth certificate amended, he should be permitted into spaces reserved for biological women. Giggle for Girls argued that women have a right to single-sex spaces, both online and offline. 

The Court rejected Giggle’s defence that Tickle was not unlawfully discriminated against, but instead disqualified from joining the networking app due to his male sex.   

In the judgment, the court stated “…sex is not confined to being a biological concept referring to whether a person at birth had male or female physical traits, nor confined to being a binary concept, limited to the male or female sex…” 

ADF International has supported Giggle’s defence on the basis that Australian law must uphold the truth of biological reality and in line with the protections for women enshrined in international human rights law.  

Commenting on the decision, Giggle CEO, Sall Grover, said:  

“To use Giggle, users had to be female, and female in the ordinary use of the word which is biological,” Grover explained, adding, “I am optimistic. I know we are right & I know that reality always wins – eventually. Reality is inescapable. The law has to reflect reality. In reality, no man is a woman so therefore no man should legally be a woman.” 

Katherine Deves of Pryor Tzannes & Wallis, legal representatives for the Respondent, said: “The stakes are high in this case. Women’s international human rights will be lost if “woman” now includes any male who identifies as such. This decision matters not just in Australia but also to the watching world.”  

Robert Clarke, Director of Advocacy for ADF International, which provided support for the case, said:  

“By ruling that a biological male was discriminated against for being excluded from a women’s app, the court delivered a flawed judgment that undermines protections for women. Sex is not a feeling – it is a biological fact, and it cannot be changed. This appeal is a defining moment: the Court must choose between ideology and reality.”

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Pictured (left to right): Sall Grover; Katherine Deves; Robert Clarke.

Lebanon (51th Session)

This report provides an overview of the situation of freedom of religion or belief in Lebanon, with a particular focus on the treatment of Christians and other religious minorities, ex-Muslim converts, and refugees. It further argues that the country’s anti-blasphemy and defamation of religion legislation is incompatible with its obligations under international human rights law.

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Nepal (51th Session)

This report outlines how efforts to implement comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) based on purported ‘United Nations standards’ conflict with Austria’s international human rights obligations, particularly with regard to the rights of the child and parental rights.

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Austria (51th Session)

This report outlines how efforts to implement comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) based on purported ‘United Nations standards’ conflict with Austria’s international human rights obligations, particularly with regard to the rights of the child and parental rights.

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Australia (51th Session)

This report highlights the incompatibility of the 2021 Online Safety Act, as well as the actions of the eSafety Commissioner, with Australia’s obligations regarding the right to freedom of expression under international law. It further examines the urgent need for Australia to comply with its obligations regarding the rights of the child and parental rights and calls for effective measures to safeguard children from experimental and life-altering medical procedures that are documented to have irreversible negative impacts on their health and well-being.

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