'Koran-burning conviction an assault on free speech'

A MAN who burned a Koran outside the Turkish consulate in London has branded his prosecution “an assault on free speech” as campaigners argued the ruling “signals a concerning capitulation to Islamic blasphemy codes”.

- PRESS ASSOCIATION REPORTERS

Hamit Coskun was found guilty yesterday of a religiously aggravated public order offence, having shouted “f*** Islam”, “Islam is religion of terrorism” and “Koran is burning” while holding the flaming religious text aloft earlier this year.

The 50-year-old had argued his criticism was of Islam in general rather than its followers, but District Judge John McGarva said he could not accept this, finding that Coskun’s actions were “highly provocative” and that he was “motivated at least in part by a hatred of Muslims”.