London, United Kingdom – The case of Hamit Coskun, a Turkish-born protester who burned a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Consulate in London in , has drawn the attention of the U.S. Administration, which is now considering offering him asylum should he lose a legal challenge in the United Kingdom. The potential intervention comes amid growing concerns over freedom of expression in the UK and follows criticism from Washington regarding increasingly restrictive speech laws in Europe.
Coskun, 51, initially sought asylum in the UK, citing fears for his safety in Turkey due to the actions of Islamic extremists who he claims “destroyed” his family’s life and led to his imprisonment for protesting Islamist governance. His act of burning the Quran on , accompanied by slogans denouncing Islam, sparked outrage and led to his initial conviction on a religiously aggravated public order offense.
The conviction was later overturned in October by Southwark Crown Court, with the judge ruling that while the act was deeply offensive to many Muslims, the right to freedom of expression must encompass the right to express views that “offend, shock or disturb.” However, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is appealing that decision at London’s High Court, and This proves this appeal that has prompted the U.S. To consider offering Coskun refuge.
According to a senior U.S. Administration official quoted by The Telegraph, the case is one of several that the administration “has made note of.” Officials are reportedly discussing granting Coskun refugee status if the CPS succeeds in reinstating his conviction. Coskun himself has stated he may “flee” to the United States if the appeal is unsuccessful, believing the U.S. Offers stronger protections for free speech.
The incident itself was not without further violence. During the protest, Coskun was attacked by Moussa Kadri, a passerby who chased him with a knife, kicking and spitting on him. Kadri subsequently received a suspended prison sentence after being convicted of assault and possession of a bladed article in a public place. The initial charge against Coskun – harassing the “religious institution of Islam” – drew criticism from organizations such as the National Secular Society and the Free Speech Union, who argued it represented a revival of blasphemy laws abolished in .
The potential for U.S. Intervention comes as the Trump administration has increasingly voiced concerns about restrictions on free speech in the UK and across Europe. In , then-President Trump publicly criticized the UK’s laws regarding online speech, stating “strange things are happening” and that it was “not a good thing.” More recently, Vice President JD Vance echoed these concerns at the Munich Security Conference, stating, “In Britain and across Europe, free speech, I fear, is in retreat.”
Coskun, of Armenian-Kurdish descent, describes himself as an atheist. He told The Telegraph that if he is forced to leave the UK, it would signify “the UK will have effectively fallen to Islamism and the speech codes that it wishes to impose on the non-Muslim world.”
The case highlights a growing tension between freedom of expression and the protection of religious sensitivities, particularly in a European context where hate speech laws are often more stringent than in the United States. The U.S. Consideration of asylum for Coskun underscores the differing approaches to these issues and raises questions about the extent to which Western democracies are willing to protect speech that is considered deeply offensive by some.
The Department of State has been contacted for comment on the matter.
