Clergy members at hospitals in Northern Ireland could face criminal charges for carrying Bibles or engaging in prayer with patients or relatives within designated abortion buffer zones, according to new guidance issued by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The guidance outlines how the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act 2023, which was enacted by the Northern Ireland Assembly, will be enforced. It clarifies that the law contains no exemptions for clergy, chaplains, or religious ministers.
Under the guidance, ordinary pastoral activities such as bedside prayer or carrying religious materials may be considered criminal offenses if deemed capable of "influencing, or causing distress to, someone accessing abortion services." This includes situations where clergy are invited to pray with patients within buffer zones. The PSNI noted that the legality of such actions depends on whether they might reasonably impact a protected person nearby.
The issue gained attention after Clive Johnston, a 77-year-old pastor from Strabane, was convicted in May 2024 of breaching the safe access zone law for delivering a sermon near Causeway Hospital in Londonderry the previous July. Johnston, who was fined £450, has appealed the conviction. His case marked the first prosecution under the UK’s buffer zone laws relating to a sermon that did not reference abortion directly.
Johnston’s appeal is supported by the Christian Institute, whose director, Ciarán Kelly, expressed concern that the legislation, originally designed to prevent harassment outside abortion clinics, may now inhibit routine Christian ministry within hospital settings. Kelly highlighted the potential consequences, stating that a chaplain praying with grieving parents or simply carrying a Bible could risk legal repercussions if their actions are perceived as potentially influencing an abortion decision.
The PSNI spokesman emphasized that the guidance does not prohibit the carrying of Bibles, prayer, or pastoral care outright, but rather explains how the new legislation will be applied in operational settings.
The case drew international attention when the United States State Department condemned Johnston’s prosecution as an "egregious violation" of freedom of speech.
As the appeal proceeds, the interpretation and enforcement of the safe access zones continue to provoke debate over the balance between protecting individuals accessing abortion services and safeguarding religious expression within healthcare environments.