Charges against protester Hamit Coskun REWRITTEN after prosecutors accused of bringing in ‘backdoor blasphemy law’
Prosecutors have removed references to “the institution of Islam” from charges against a man who burned a Koran in central London.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has amended a charge against Hamit Coskun, 50, who set fire to a copy of the Muslim holy book outside the Turkish consulate in London.
Coskun, who lives in Derby, is no longer accused of harassing the “religious institution of Islam” – with the CPS admitting it had “incorrectly applied” the term.
It has since substituted in a new charge to “more accurately reflect the alleged offence”.
GB News understands the charge will be updated to say that he was motivated wholly or partly by hostility towards members of a religious group, namely followers of Islam, based on their membership of that group, contrary to section 31(1)(c) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986.
Hamit Coskun is no longer accused of harassing the ‘religious institution of Islam’ in a major U-turn by the CPS
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MPs and lawyers had warned the original charge was akin to reintroducing blasphemy laws to Britain.
They had argued that it was “plainly defective” as the “religious institution of Islam” was not a person under the Public Order Act – under which Coskun was being charged.
A CPS statement released on Friday said: “We charged Hamit Coskun on the basis his actions caused harassment, alarm or distress – which is a criminal offence – and that this was motivated by hostility towards a religious or racial group.
“As part of our continuous review of ongoing cases we concluded the wording of the charge was incorrectly applied and we have substituted a new charge to more accurately reflect the alleged offence.”
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Coskun had burned the book on the corner of London’s Rutland Gardens – home to the Turkish Consulate
And reacting to the news, outspoken Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “I welcome the decision to drop the charge of causing alarm to the ‘religious institution of Islam’.
“This was an invention that had no basis in law. It should not have required our campaign to force the CPS to change course.
“The updated charging decision by the CPS is still extremely concerning. Most people would condemn desecrating a religious text, but we live in a free country where people should be free to criticise and mock religion.
‘We live in a free country where people should be free to criticise and mock religion,’ Jenrick vowed
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“We must resist any attempts to introduce blasphemy laws by the back door.”
Footage from the burning, back in February, appeared to show Coskun being attacked by a man with a knife after his initial stunt.
He later received treatment for injuries sustained to his fingers – but at the time, officers said the man did not receive any stab wounds.
Appearing at court a few days after burning the holy book, Coskun was seen with a bandaged hand.