LONDON (LSN.ca) – The UK Court of Appeal ruled March 14 that the decision of UK television broadcasters to ban a pro-life ad during the 1997 general election was “unlawful.” The BBC, which represented all British broadcasters in the case, said they banned the ads because they featured “shocking” images of abortion and considered them “grossly offensive.”
The Appeal Court ruling by three senior Justices overturned an earlier High Court ruling. Lord Justice Laws commented on the case saying, “The reader of this judgment will see that I have used the word 'censorship' from the first sentence. I have well in mind that the broadcasters do not at all accept that their decision should be so categorized. Maybe the feathers of their liberal credentials are ruffled at the word's overtones. Maybe there is an implicit plea for the comfort of a euphemism. However in my judgment this court must, and I hope the broadcasters, recognise unblinking that censorship is exactly what this case is about.”
The BBC attempted to argue that there was no censorship since the Pro-Life Alliance was permitted to verbally describe abortion and was only restricted from showing the images. Lord Justice Brown dismissed the argument saying, “Here the image is the message – I can see no answer to the claim that the appellant is entitled to show – not just tell – what happens. Words alone cannot convey the essential human character of the foetus and the nature of its destruction by abortion.”
The legal victory comes after a five year legal battle by the Pro-Life Alliance. Bruno Quintavalle, leader of the Pro-Life Alliance, said: “This judgment signals the beginning of the end of legal abortion in the UK. Once our country sees the truth, they will know that abortion even in the earliest stages is an act of terrible violence which kills a human being.”
The BBC said it will seek leave to appeal to the House of Lords.
See the BBC coverage.
(This update courtesy of LifeSite News.)
