英最高法院裁決 蛋糕店拒做同性戀蛋糕非歧視

The Christian owners of a Northern Ireland bakery have won their appeal in the so-called "gay cake" discrimination case.

近日，北愛爾蘭一家麪包店的基督教老闆在所謂的“同性戀蛋糕”歧視案中勝訴。

The UK's highest court ruled that Ashers bakery's refusal to make a cake with a slogan supporting same-sex marriage was not discriminatory.

英國最高法院裁定，Ashers蛋糕店的店主拒絕製作一個帶有支持同性婚姻口號的蛋糕，這並不算是歧視。

The five justices on the Supreme Court were unanimous in their judgement.

最高法院5位法官全體一致同意達成這個判決。

The high-profile dispute began in 2014 when the bakery refused to make a cake with the slogan "Support Gay Marriage".

這一備受矚目的爭議始於2014年，當時這家麪包店拒絕製作一個打着“支持同性婚姻”口號的蛋糕。

The customer, gay rights activist Gareth Lee, sued the company for discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and political beliefs.

於是同性戀權益活動人士加里斯·李控告蛋糕店歧視性取向和政治傾向不同的人士。

But the bakery has always insisted its objection was to the message on the cake, not the customer.

但是蛋糕店指出，爭論焦點在於蛋糕上的標語，而不是顧客本身。

Ashers lost the case and the subsequent appeal, but last Wednesday the firm won its appeal at the Supreme Court.

Ashers蛋糕店在此案和隨後的上訴中敗訴，但該公司上週三在最高法院贏得了上訴。

The legal battle -- which has lasted four-and-a-half years and has cost nearly 500,000 pounds so far -- has raised questions over equality and freedom of conscience.

這一引起有關平等權利和良知自由的爭議性司法案件已經纏訟4年半，前後花費近50萬英鎊。

Ashers bakery's general manager Daniel McArthur said he was delighted and relieved by the ruling.

Ashers蛋糕店店主丹尼爾·麥克阿瑟表示，他對這一裁決感到高興和欣慰。

"I know a lot of people will be glad to hear this ruling today, because this ruling protects freedom of speech and freedom of conscience for everyone," Mr McArthur said outside the court.

麥克阿瑟在法庭外表示：“我知道很多人今天會很高興聽到這一裁決，因爲這個判決確定了每個人都擁有言論自由和良知自由。”