During his recent visit at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, US vice -president JD Vance claimed that the freedom to speak European freedom had declined. The DW team Fact Czech takes a close look at some of his examples and provides references around these cases.
claim: The Scottish government has allegedly warned the citizens that praying at home can be illegal. “The Scottish government started distributing letters to the citizens whose houses live within the so -called safe access areas, warning them that private prayers inside their own houses could also be the amount to break the law,” Said. “Naturally, the government urged the reader to report to any fellow citizen to the guilty of thought crime.”
DW fact check: Misleading.
While this is true Scotland introduced In September 2024, within 200 meters (about 650 ft) of the abortion clinic, the so-called safe access zone and “silent prayer” were banned and similar pressure-making activities to prevent women from going through abortion, no for others There is no crisis, not involved in the ban.
However, the law says that even those activities that can be heard or heard within the sea and in a private place within the area (like a house) within the area between the premises and the boundary of a region “Intentically or careless” is done. To Crime.
This is a common strategy by American miscarriage activists, The so-called “supporter-life,” Using the cover of prayer to gather in front of the abortion clinic, hand over to flyers, show pictures of fetus or to scare women entering the clinic to keep the child.
“This is shocking and shameless wrong information from Vice President JD Vance,”Members of Scottish Parliament on Gilian McKay, XWho introduced the safe access zone bill.
He said that the letter encouraged people to report anything, which they thought they had violated the law, the police would give equal incentives for every law in the country.
“Letters were sent to homes so that the meaning of the zone for them.,” He wrote on X. “
claim: A British man had alleged a quietly prayer in front of an abortion clinic that he kept an unborn and his ex -girlfriend had miscarried, said Vance. “Two years ago, the British government accused Adam Smith-Koner, a 51-year-old physiotherapist and an army veteran, with a heinous crime of standing 50 meters from the abortion clinic and quietly praying for three minutes.” Hey hes “the government’s new buffer Zones Law” was the founder of breaking and sent to the prosecution to pay thousands of pounds in legal costs “.
DW fact check: Misleading.
Adam Smith-Koner was convicted of violating a safe area by praying outside an abortion clinic in Bornemouth in November 2022, after repeated refusal requests to leave the region. Hey imposed a fine of 100 pounds that he did not pay, triggered a court case. Finally, they were given a two -conditional discharge and ordered to pay the cost of prosecution to the tune of 9,000 pounds ($ 11,300, € 10,800).
Public place protection order What introduced Out of Bornmouth Clinic In October 2022, to create a buffer zone around the aboration clinic to disturb women or prevent them from passing.
Son Smith-Koner said he was praying 20 years ago.
Smith-Koner receiving legal support American Orthodox Christian Legal Advisory Group Which has been called “Hate Group”. Oho Appeal for decision.
claim: In Munich, Vance said, “I look at Brussels, where the European Union Compissar has warned the citizens that they intend to shut down social media at the time of civil unrest, the moment they are at the place they are Has done
DW fact check: Misleading.
After quick research on JD Vance’s claim on the European Union’s commissioner, we found separately, warning social media at the time of civil disturbance. Media report Referring to the subject in July 2023. They quoted Former European Commissioner for the internal market, Theory Bretton, the European Union content referring to the possibility of a shutdown under the Moderation Act only “in extreme cases” and after proper procedure if they do not reduce the problematic material during riots . In his statements, cite and refers to Bretton Digital service act (DSA), adopted in 2022 and was fully implemented since 2024.
Bretton’s comments were a response to French President Emmanuel Macron, who increased the possibility of blocking social media platforms during the civil unrest in the country after the murder of 17 -year -old Nahel Mazuk in Paris suburb. Article 19A British human rights organization, and other organizations expressed concern over Bretton’s comments.
But does DSA actually allow members of the European Union to close social media during unrest like JD Vance claims?
DSA controls online middlemen And the platforms, such as social networks, content sharing platforms and app stores and illegal materials, addresses such as transparent advertising and disintegration. For the European Commission, the main goal of the Act is “illegal and harmful activities to prevent the spread of online and dissolution.”
Under Article 51, in its fourth chapter, the DSA establishes the powers of the Digital Services Coordinator, to oversee and apply the providers of the authority intermediary services nominated by the European Union member state.
Article 51, Section 3B in the Act states that if digital service coordinators feel that a violation that is causing severe damage and threatens to the person’s life or safety involves a criminal offense. Services related to violation. If this is not technically possible, the provider’s online interface that violates it can be banned.
This remedy, however, is the final of a series of mechanisms against the platform that does not comply with the legal structure of the European Union. For this figure, it should be provoked all other measures mentioned in the DSA, including allowing the management of the stage to adopt the action plan for violation of the management of the DSA, to be able to ban the use of social media platforms. Section 3A of 3A) Article 51).
And how does it affect social media platforms? The DSA determines specific obligations that he consider “very large online platforms”, meaning that platforms and search engines recently discover 45 million or more consumers in Europe. Clever Thesis online platforms include services by providers such as Google, Meta, Tikok, Twitter International Unlimited Company (X.com).
In that regard, it is claimed that the European Union’s Kamisars can shut down social media. If they spot that they have just judged being “disgusting materials”, it is misleading.
Edited by: Rachel Baig
