Koran burner's conviction sparks warnings of 'backdoor blasphemy laws' as Robert Jenrick says the case is another example of two-tier justice
Kemi Badenoch warned of the impact of creeping blasphemy laws last night after the conviction of a protester who set fire to a copy of the Koran.
Hamit Coskun, 50, shouted 'f*** Islam', 'Islam is religion of terrorism' and 'Koran is burning' while holding up a flaming copy of the holy text.
He had been protesting against the Turkish government earlier this year.
Yesterday he was ordered to pay £240 and a £96 statutory surcharge after being found guilty of a public order offence motivated by 'hostility towards members of a religious group, namely followers of Islam'.
Last night Mrs Badenoch said the case should go to appeal while a coalition of politicians and free speech campaigners accused the courts of reviving blasphemy laws via the backdoor and of suppressing free speech.
Mrs Badenoch said: 'De facto blasphemy laws will set this country on the road to ruin. This case should go to appeal.
'Freedom of belief, and freedom not to believe, are inalienable rights in Britain. I'll defend those rights to my dying day.'
Mrs Badenoch was echoed by Tory justice spokesman Robert Jenrick who said the case was yet another example of two-tier justice.
He added: 'Two-Tier Keir used to defend free speech, but he's been reduced to a bystander as a blasphemy law is brought back by the back door.
'A man alleged to have stabbed Mr Coskun is on bail, free to roam the streets for another two years, while he is swiftly prosecuted for non-violent acts.
'Free speech is under threat. I have no confidence in Two-Tier Keir to defend the right of the public to criticise all religions.'
Tory MP Nick Timothy said: 'We now have a blasphemy law in this country. Parliament never voted for it. I will introduce a Bill to put a stop to all this next week.'
During his protest outside the Turkish Consulate in Knightsbridge on February 13 Mr Coskun – who was born in Turkey but is half Armenian and half Turkish – was attacked by a man who was allegedly holding a knife and threatening to kill him.
Although he has admitted to assaulting Mr Coskun, the man has denied using a knife. He will go on trial in 2027.
Since his controversial protest, Mr Coskun has reportedly received death threats and has been moved to a safe house after it was alleged two men broke into his home and attacked him.
He is a committed atheist who has claimed asylum in Britain after fleeing Turkey two and half years ago.
The National Secular Society and the Free Speech Union, which paid his legal fees, have announced they plan to appeal against the judgment and 'keep appealing' until it is overturned.
When asked about the case last night the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'We have no blasphemy laws in England, and there are no plans to introduce any. Obviously, individual cases are a matter for the courts.'
Following the verdict, Mr Coskun told reporters: 'Christian blasphemy laws were repealed in this country more than 15 years ago.
'Would I have been prosecuted if I'd set fire to a copy of the Bible outside Westminster Abbey? I doubt it.'
In court last week, his lawyer Katy Thorne KC argued that the charges effectively criminalised the public burning of religious texts.
She said Mr Coskun's actions were not motivated by hostility towards Muslims, just the religion of Islam itself.
But district judge John McGarva told Mr Coskun that his actions were 'motivated, at least in part, by hatred of followers of the religion'.
Stephen Evans of the National Secular Society said: 'The outcome of this case is a significant blow to freedom of expression and signals a concerning capitulation to Islamic blasphemy codes.'
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