A Turkish political refugee has been convicted of a criminal offence for burning a copy of the Koran outside the Turkish Consulate in London. The Free Speech Union paid for his defence and we now intend to pay for his appeal, which is why we’re asking for your help.
At 12.30pm on Monday 2nd June at Westminster Magistrates’ Court Hamit Coskun, a man who’d spent almost 10 years in jail in Turkey as a political prisoner, was found guilty of a religiously aggravated public order offence, namely, disorderly behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress. Incredibly, part of the prosecution’s evidence that he’d caused someone harassment, alarm or distress was that a Muslim man who witnessed his protest attacked him with a knife.
We are deeply disappointed by this verdict. 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.
Our support for Hamit remains undiminished in spite of this disappointing verdict. We paid for his defence, along with the National Secular Society, and we will pay for his appeal. Anything you can donate to help us meet our legal costs would be enormously appreciated.
This is a really important case. As Hamit himself said after the verdict: “This decision is an assault on free speech and will deter others from exercising their democratic rights to peaceful protest and freedom of expression. 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 Christian Blasphemy laws were repealed in this country more than 15 years ago and it cannot be right to prosecute someone for blaspheming against Islam.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.”
We are supporting Hamit, not because we’re anti-Islam, but because we don’t think people who don’t believe in a particular religious faith should be compelled, under threat of prosecution, to respect the blasphemy codes of its believers. Religious tolerance requires people of faith to tolerate those who criticise and protest against their religion, just as their values and beliefs are tolerated.
Anything you can contribute to help us fight this important case would be enormously appreciated. We cannot let the authorities introduce a Muslim blasphemy law via the backdoor.
Any money raised above what’s needed will be used by the FSU to fight other, similar cases.
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