Denmark to hold its first blasphemy case for nearly half a century

Only fourth case in history as man burns Koran in north Jutland and puts video on Facebook

Feb 23, 2017

Denmark will hold its first blasphemy case for 46 years after the state prosecutor’s decision to charge a man with blasphemy for burning a copy of the Koran in 2015.

It’s the first time since 1971 that a person in Denmark has been charged with blasphemy, and only the fourth time in history.

The case involves a 42-year-old man from north Jutland who published a video on the internet in December 2015 of himself burning a Koran in his garden. He published the video via the Facebook group ‘JA TIL FRIHED – NEJ TIL ISLAM’ (YES TO FREEDOM – NO TO ISLAM).

Fine with a fine
According to the prosecutor, the man also wrote “Think of your neighbour, it stinks when it burns” in text under the video.

The punishment for blasphemy can be up to four months in prison, but the prosecutor contends that the state is looking to just fine the man in this situation.

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