A Kurdish-Armenian man who burned a Koran outside Turkey’s embassy in London has won his appeal against a conviction for a religiously aggravated public order offence. The case has sparked renewed debate on the limits of free speech in the United Kingdom.
Hamit Coskun, 51, set fire to the Muslim holy book outside Ankara’s consulate in February while shouting slogans critical of Islam. He was initially found guilty in June and fined, but on Friday, Southwark Crown Court overturned his conviction.
Judge Joel Bennathan ruled that Coskun’s actions, while “desperately upsetting and offensive” to many Muslims, were nonetheless protected under the right to freedom of expression. “The criminal law does not exist to prevent people from being upset, even grievously upset,” the judge said, adding that free expression “must include the right to express views that offend, shock or disturb.”
Blasphemy laws were abolished in England and Wales in 2008, and free-speech campaigners hailed the ruling as a victory for civil liberties. The National Secular Society (NSS) and the Free Speech Union (FSU), which supported Coskun, argued that his prosecution amounted to a modern form of blasphemy charge.
Coskun, who fled persecution in Turkey, said he was relieved by the decision. “I came to England to speak freely about the dangers of radical Islam. I am reassured that I can now educate the British public about my beliefs,” he stated.
His appeal also drew support from Conservative MP Robert Jenrick, who praised the judgment as a reaffirmation of Britain’s commitment to free expression.
Turkey has previously condemned Koran-burning protests in Western countries, including those in Sweden in 2023, which provoked widespread outrage across the Islamic world.
Coskun’s victory underscores ongoing tensions between freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs—a delicate balance that continues to test liberal democracies.
