"The Crown Prosecution Service has appealed against a High Court judge's decision to overturn the criminal conviction of a man who burned a Quran outside the Turkish consulate in London. Hamit Coskun was initially found guilty of a religiously aggravated public order offence, having shouted "Islam is religion of terrorism" while holding the flaming religious text aloft outside the consulate in February."
"The CPS said that while burning a religious text was not a criminal act, Mr Coskun had 'demonstrated hostility towards a religious or racial group, which is a crime'. In a statement, the CPS said there was 'no law to prosecute people for 'blasphemy'', but added: 'Our case remains that Hamit Coskun's words, choice of location and burning of the (Quran) amounted to disorderly behaviour... We have appealed the decision, and the judge has agreed to state a case for the High Court to consider.'"
Hamit Coskun burned a Quran outside the Turkish consulate in London while shouting that Islam is a religion of terrorism and was convicted of a religiously aggravated public order offence. A judge overturned the conviction, ruling that freedom of expression must include the right to offend and that Coskun acted alone without targeting a person. The Crown Prosecution Service has appealed, arguing that burning the religious text combined with his words and location demonstrated hostility towards a religious or racial group. The CPS noted there is no law against blasphemy. During the protest a man attacked Coskun and later received a suspended sentence.
Read at www.bbc.com
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