For much of the last year, it has seemed like the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has been battling to create a de facto Islamic blasphemy law in Britain. Today, though they suffered a great defeat when the Court of Appeal rejected their bid to overturn the acquittal of Hamit Coskun, whose conviction for burning a Quran was overturned in October.

For now, at least, there is no blasphemy law in England. It’s worth reflecting though on how strange and sinister the CPS’s actions have been, and what they have tried to do. 

It’s worth reflecting on how strange and sinister the CPS’s actions have been, and what they have tried to do

It’s worth reflecting on how strange and sinister the CPS’s actions have been, and what they have tried to do

In February 2025, Hamit Coskun burned a Quran outside the Turkish Consulate, while saying ‘Quran is burning’, ‘fuck Islam’ and ‘Islam is the religion of terrorism’. During this protest he was attacked by two men. One of these men went home to get a knife before assaulting Hamit.

Since then the state prosecutor has been determined to criminalise Hamit. Indeed, it often feels like they’ve spent far more energy and time on Hamit, than on the two men who assaulted him during his protest. Only one of them has even been identified.

On charging Hamit, the CPS appeared to invent a new offence, ‘offending the religious institution of Islam’. When media attention forced them to backtrack, the CPS still prosecuted him on........

© The Spectator