Confession of Faith Ratification Act

[Jerome]

Scottish National Party says centuries-old statute that criminalised freedom of belief and expression should be taken off the books:

SNP back repeal of Confession of Faith Ratification Act

The Confession of Faith Ratification Act 1690...was last used in Scotland in 1843 to convict Edinburgh bookseller Thomas Paterson

Medical student Thomas Aikenhead was the last man to be hanged in Scotland for blasphemy....He was executed after being reported to the authorities over comments made in casual conversation....The trial, conducted by Sir James Stewart, the lord advocate who was a Calvinist fanatic, was regarded as a mockery even in its day.

On January 8, 1697, the 20-year-old was...was marched to the “gallowlee” on the road to Leith and hanged. His body remained in chains on the gibbet for weeks