A 50-year-old man alleged to have set fire to a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish consulate in west London has had a key charge against him withdrawn, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed this week.
Hamit Coskun, from Derby, had initially been charged in February with racially aggravated harassment of the religion of Islam—a decision that sparked backlash from legal experts and public figures, including Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick and the National Secular Society.
Critics argued the original charge appeared to create a “blasphemy law by stealth”—a controversial step 18 years after the UK formally abolished laws against religious blasphemy.
In a letter to the CPS on Thursday, Mr. Jenrick called for an urgent review of the charge, describing it as legally unfounded and potentially setting a dangerous precedent. By Friday, the CPS announced a revised charge would replace the previous one, though it denied any connection to political pressure.
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According to the updated charge, Mr. Coskun is now accused of racially aggravated harassment, alarm, or distress, allegedly motivated by hostility towards individuals of the Islamic faith. The case now centers on accusations that Coskun publicly held up the burning Quran while shouting inflammatory remarks, including “F*** Islam” and “Islam is a religion of terrorism.”
Mr. Coskun denies all charges.
Mr. Jenrick commented on the development via social media, stating:
“The CPS have rightly dropped the charge of causing alarm to the ‘religious institution of Islam’—a legal fiction with no foundation. However, the revised charge still raises concerns about creeping blasphemy laws returning under a different name.”
A CPS representative clarified the decision, saying:
“Blasphemy laws no longer exist in England and Wales. This case remains under review. However, the language of the original charge was incorrect, and we have amended it to reflect the alleged criminal conduct more accurately.”
The prosecution maintains that Coskun’s actions constitute a criminal offence under hate crime legislation due to the alleged intent to intimidate or incite hatred against followers of Islam.
The case continues, with Mr. Coskun due to appear in court at a later date.