Crown Stays Charges Against Pro-life Students from the U of C
November 2, 2009: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CALGARY – The trespassing charges laid against six members of Campus Pro-Life at the University of Calgary have been stayed by the Crown Prosecutor, effectively meaning that the charges have ended.
The group’s display, held on the University of Calgary campus every semester since 2006, termed the Genocide Awareness Project, precipitated the charges. The display compares abortion to past historical atrocities, such as the Rwandan genocide and the Holocaust in Nazi Germany.
Club president Leah Hallman stated, “We are relieved by this decision on the part of the Crown Prosecutor; Campus Pro-Life has consistently maintained that all of our actions were in full compliance under the law.”
The charges were initially delivered to the homes of several students by members of the Calgary Police Service in February of 2009. On March 16th, all charged members pleaded not guilty. At the time, Hallman argued “We have asked the university several times which of its by-laws, policies, regulations or other authority it relies on for censoring our viewpoint, and have received no answer to date.“
The staying of the charges takes place nearly one year after the November 2008 display on campus that was the catalyst for the charges being laid. “Campus Pro-Life will continue being a voice for the voiceless,” states club treasurer Alanna Campbell. “We hope to continue our activities on campus and raise awareness among the next generation of community leaders.”
For further information, contact club president Leah Hallman at (403) 808-3412, treasurer Alanna Campbell at (403) 690-5217, or lawyer John Carpay of the Canadian Constitution Foundation at (403) 619-8014.
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