Man Convicted for Burning Quran Outside London’s Turkish Consulate
A man who set fire to a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish consulate in London has been found guilty of a religiously aggravated public order offence. The conviction, announced on Monday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, has sparked criticism, with some viewing it as a step toward reinstating an abolished blasphemy law.
Hamit Coskun, 50, was fined £240 ($325) after being convicted of being disorderly for shouting "Fuck Islam" while holding the burning book near the consulate in central London in February. The court noted that his conduct was made disorderly by the combination of the location, timing, and abusive language.
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The case has elicited criticism from the National Secular Society, which views the conviction as a threat to freedom of expression. The opposition Conservative Party also expressed concern, asserting on X (formerly Twitter) that Britain has no blasphemy laws, and this verdict sets a de facto precedent that infringes on free speech, which they argue was never authorized by Parliament or supported by the British public.
Coskun’s lawyer argued that the prosecution effectively aimed to revive a blasphemy law that the UK Parliament abolished in 2008. Coskun, of mixed Kurdish and Armenian heritage, claimed on social media that his protest was directed against the Turkish government. During the incident, he was also attacked by a man wielding a knife who spat and kicked him.
Judge John McGarva stated that although burning a religious text can be offensive, it is not necessarily disorderly unless accompanied by abusive language at an inappropriate time and place. The court emphasized that the use of the offensive language was what rendered his actions disorderly.
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