A Christian pastor arrested in Bristol, England, in November on suspicion of "inciting religious hatred" after delivering a street sermon is still awaiting a decision on whether he will face criminal charges, according to a legal advocacy group supporting him.
Pastor Dia Moodley, 58, was detained for eight hours and released on bail conditions that temporarily barred him from entering the city during the Christmas period.
ADF UK, the British arm of the faith-based legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom, is representing Moodley.
The group advocates for religious freedom and free speech rights and argues that the pastor’s case reflects what it describes as a broader pattern of police action that risks criminalizing lawful religious expression.
Although the initial bail restrictions were later dropped, police visited Moodley again in January and invited him to attend a voluntary interview under caution as they continued to investigate the November incident.
The case marks the second time he has been arrested over his street preaching, ADF UK said, and follows previous disputes with police over restrictions placed on his public comments about other religions.
Jeremiah Igunnubole, legal counsel for ADF International, said Pastor Dia’s arrest for "peacefully commenting on Islam and transgender ideology" shows police are using public order legislation to impose "de facto blasphemy laws" in the U.K.
"This is far from an isolated incident," Igunnubole said. "It is part of a clear pattern of behavior from Avon and Somerset Police, who for years have targeted Pastor Dia for his peaceful expression in the public square and have failed in their duty to investigate serious crimes committed against him by those who objected to his speech."