Coskun Guilty Verdict Is 'Surrender To Blasphemy Laws

National Secular Society ✏ The prosecution of a man for burning a Quran in protest signals "a concerning capitulation to Islamic blasphemy codes", free speech campaigners have warned.

Coskun was today found guilty at Westminster Magistrates' Court of a religiously-aggravated public order offence, after he protested against Islamism outside the Turkish Consulate in February.

Coskun set fire to a Quran as part of the protest, which led to a man attacking him.

The National Secular Society and the Free Speech Union, who have paid for his legal fees, will also pay his fine, which is £240 plus a £96 surcharge. They are also considering appealing the verdict.

Coskun was found guilty of an offence under Section 5 of the Public Order Act which criminalises using words or behaving in a disorderly manner, or displaying material that is likely to harass, intimidate or distress others.

He was also found guilty under section 31(1)(c) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, which makes the public order offence "religiously aggravated".

Coskun is an atheist of Armenian and Kurdish heritage with a long history of protesting against the Turkish government. He said his demonstration was a protest against the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan . . .

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