Important Takeaways:

• A 74-year-old woman has been charged after silently praying outside an abortion clinic in Scotland less than a week after U.S. Vice President JD Vance highlighted the draconian thought crime laws in the UK.
• The pro-life activist has reportedly become the first person to be arrested and charged under Scotland’s Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act, the BBC reported.
• The law, which came into force last year, prohibits any protests or vigils being held within 200m (656ft) of abortion clinics in Scotland, mirroring similar restrictions enacted in England and Wales
• The so-called “buffer zone” legislation makes it a criminal offence to attempt to influence women not to get an abortion outside of clinics, with fines of up to £10,000 or potentially limitless fines in supposedly severe cases. It is also an offence to “impede their access; or otherwise cause alarm, harassment or distress.”
• The broad language of the law appears to allow police to arrest those for silently praying outside of clinics, which free speech proponents and religious observers have decried as being akin to a “thought crime”.
• …the government has denied that it sent letters warning against praying in homes near abortion clinics.
• However, the government did send letters to residents saying: “In general, the offences apply in public places within the Safe Access Zones. However, activities in a private place (such as a house) within the area between the protected premises and the boundary of a Zone could be an offence if they can be seen or heard within the Zone and done intentionally or recklessly.”
• The letter went on to call for residents to report anyone they believed to be in violation of the law to Police Scotland.

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