Latest news with #religiousTolerance
Daily Mail
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Man who burned Koran and shouted 'f*** Islam' faces imminent terrorist plot to murder him, police warn
An asylum seeker who set fire to the Koran while shouting anti-Islamic slurs has been warned by police that he is the target of an 'imminent' terror plot to murder him, it emerged today. Hamit Coskun, 50, was woken by officers at 2am on Saturday and told his life was in danger, according to his lawyers. The officers, acting on behalf of the Metropolitan Police, are understood to have issued what is known as an Osman warning – a formal alert given when there is intelligence of a real threat to life but not enough evidence to make an arrest. Coskun, who is originally from Turkey and is now in hiding in the UK, was convicted last week for a racially aggravated public order offence after he burned a copy of the Islamic holy book during a protest in Knightsbridge on February 13. During the incident – which was filmed and went viral online – he shouted: 'F*** Islam' and 'Islam is religion of terrorism' as he held the Koran above his head and set it alight. The shocking act has sparked furious debate over freedom of speech, religious tolerance – and whether Britain is bringing back blasphemy laws through the back door. Coskun's supporters say the decision to prosecute him has now made him a target, and accuse the authorities of putting his life at risk. Speaking to the Mail this week Mr Coskun said: 'My social media accounts and phonebook are full of death threats from [people based in] cities like London and Birmingham. 'Like everyone else, I am afraid of being killed [and] I am very worried because I know that I may face security risks. This is the reality of the 'religion' we call Islam. 'It does not respect different beliefs and cultures, it does not recognize the right to life. But I am not a coward. I am ready to pay the price.' Social media posts sent to Mr Coskun and seen by the Mail include one that states: 'You should sacrifice yourself to Koran. You will die'. Another says: 'Hail to the courageous man who will make your corpse lie down on the ground.' In a blistering letter to Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, Lord Young of Norwood Green, General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, said: 'We consider that the risk to Mr Coskun's life was caused, in part, by the actions of your officers and the CPS. 'Your force had repeatedly suggested publicly that Mr Coskun had offended the 'religious institution of Islam'. Doing so has increased the risk to Mr Coskun from Islamic extremists.' Coskun, an atheist, says he fled Turkey two and a half years ago to escape persecution. He was living in Derby before going into hiding. After the conviction, Coskun issued a defiant statement, branding the decision an 'assault on free speech'. He said: 'As an activist, I will continue to campaign against the threat of Islam. 'Christian blasphemy laws were repealed in this country more than 15 years ago, and it cannot be right to prosecute someone for blaspheming against Islam. 'Would I have been prosecuted if I'd set fire to a copy of the Bible outside Westminster Abbey? I doubt it.' He also pledged to continue burning Korans and is planning a controversial UK tour, with stops in Birmingham, Liverpool, and Glasgow, where he intends to repeat the act. It is not clear whether this will go ahead before any potential appeal. A Met Police spokesperson confirmed: 'There remains an ongoing police investigation in relation to allegations of threats to kill against a 50-year-old male. Given the investigation is ongoing, we won't be able to comment further at this stage.' Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, wrote on social media: '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.' Blasphemy laws were officially abolished in the UK in 2008. Coskun was prosecuted under the Public Order Act. Originally, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) charged him with harassing the 'religious institution of Islam' – wording that sparked outrage and was later revised. The CPS insists Coskun was not prosecuted for burning the Koran itself, but rather for the combination of burning it, making inflammatory remarks, and doing so publicly. Katy Thorne KC, representing Coskun, argued that his protest was not motivated by hatred of followers of Islam, but criticism of the religion itself. However, District Judge John McGarva rejected that argument, telling the court: 'Your actions in burning the Koran where you did were highly provocative, and your actions were accompanied by bad language in some cases directed toward the religion and were motivated at least in part by hatred of followers of the religion.'
Free Malaysia Today
03-06-2025
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Judge convicts man who burned Quran in London
Hamit Coskun is an atheist who is currently claiming asylum in the UK. (Reuters pic) LONDON : A Turkish-born man who burned a Quran in London was today found guilty of a religiously aggravated public order offence, in a case taken up by free-speech campaigners. Hamit Coskun, 50, shouted 'Islam is a religion of terrorism' and 'Quran is burning' as he set the book alight outside the Turkish consulate in London last Feb 13. District judge John McGarva at London's Westminster magistrates' court found Coskun guilty of using disorderly behaviour 'within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress'. He was motivated by 'hostility towards members of a religious group, namely followers of Islam', said McGarva, who issued Coskun a £240 fine, with a statutory surcharge of £96. 'Your actions in burning the Quran where you did were highly provocative, and your actions were accompanied by bad language in some cases directed towards the religion and were motivated at least in part by hatred of followers of the religion,' said the judge. State prosecutors insisted Coskun was not being prosecuted for burning the book. 'He is being prosecuted for his disorderly behaviour in public,' said Philip McGhee, for the Crown Prosecution Service. A passerby filmed the incident, which also showed a man, allegedly holding a knife or bladed item, approaching Coskun and appearing to slash out at him, the court heard. Coskun, an atheist who is currently claiming asylum in the UK, posted on social media that he was protesting against the 'Islamist government' of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. His legal fees are being paid by the Free Speech Union (FSU) and the National Secular Society, which argued he was essentially being prosecuted for blasphemy, despite Britain's free-speech guarantees. The FSU called the verdict 'deeply disappointing' on its X account. 'Everyone should be able to exercise their rights to protest peacefully and to freedom of expression, regardless of how offensive or upsetting it may be to some people,' it said.
Washington Post
02-06-2025
- General
- Washington Post
A man is convicted and fined for burning a copy of the Quran in London
LONDON — A man who burned a copy of the Quran and shouted 'Islam is religion of terrorism' outside the Turkish consulate in London was convicted Monday of a religiously aggravated public order offense and fined. Free speech campaign groups raised concerns that his conviction was against the freedom of expression and vowed to appeal.
Arab News
30-05-2025
- General
- Arab News
Arafat sermon will reach world's Muslims through 35-language translation initiative
RIYADH: The Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and Prophet's Mosque on Thursday launched an initiative to translate this year's Arafat sermon into 35 languages, reaching approximately five million Muslims worldwide during the 1446 AH Hajj season, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, the president of religious affairs, emphasized the presidency's dedication to highlight the Kingdom's leadership in serving Islam and Muslims, particularly those visiting the Two Holy Mosques. Al-Sudais said that transmitting the moderate global message is a cornerstone priority: 'At the forefront of our broadcasting principles is spreading the guidance of the Arafat sermon, which contains the foundations of human and civilizational brotherhood and religious tolerance, translated into 35 languages for this year's Hajj.' Translation preparations were completed early, Al-Sudais said, to project the Kingdom's moderate message worldwide. According to SPA, the presidency established an independent committee to create a standardized framework to maximize the sermon's impact and outcomes.
Malay Mail
19-05-2025
- Malay Mail
Retired Singapore doctor fined RM33,000 for ‘objectively insulting' anti-Muslim Facebook post made despite prior warning
SINGAPORE, May 19 – A retired doctor in Singapore was fined S$10,000 (RM33,200) today for posting offensive remarks against Muslims on Facebook, which prosecutors said were made with deliberate intent. CNA reported that Dr Kho Kwang Po, 85, who no longer holds a valid practising certificate, had reposted the inflammatory content in 2021 despite receiving a prior warning over the original post in 2016. 'As a doctor, you should have known better than to propagate such views on the internet,' District Judge Eddy Tham was reported saying, highlighting he found Dr Kho's words 'objectively insulting' Two police reports were filed against Dr Kho: one from an anonymous individual who described the post as 'highly insulting' towards Islam, and another who alleged the doctor had posted similar content for years. Deputy Public Prosecutor Sean Teh initially told the court that while the offence could warrant jail time, the prosecution considered Dr Kho's age, guilty plea, remorse, and the limited reach of his post. Dr Kho's lawyers, Kenneth Au-Yong and Josiah Tan, told the court he was remorseful and had no intention of repeating the offence. 'He is not likely to repeat this offence, and as the [prosecution] said, he has shown remorse and made a plea of guilt,' said Au-Yong. The judge also noted Dr Kho's personal mitigation plea, in which the doctor admitted to being overly influenced by online content and failing to evaluate it critically. Judge Tham said he hoped Dr Kho had come to understand the consequences of his actions. Taking into account the prosecution's arguments, the judge agreed a fine was appropriate and imposed the maximum penalty allowed under the Magistrates' Courts.
