In Greece, four people sentenced to prison for attack on mufti

Court proceedings in Greece. Photo: AI-generated

In Xanthi, the trial of four residents of Thrace who attacked a Muslim religious figure was closed. The Single-Member Misdemeanor Court of Xanthi imposed a total prison sentence of 17 months on each of the four defendants for acts of violence and gross disruption of public order, reports Vima Orthodoxias.

The incident occurred on October 11, 2024, near the Tsinar mosque immediately after an official event at a Muslim school. The then Deputy Mufti of Komotini, Jihat Khalil, was attempting to enter the building to perform the traditional Friday prayer when a group of individuals prevented him from entering the place of worship, resorting to insults and intense verbal attacks.

The court found the defendants guilty under two articles of the Criminal Code. For committing acts of violence, the attackers received 12 months each, and for disrupting public order — an additional 10 months in prison. After combining the sentences, the final punishment amounted to 17 months, which the court permitted to be replaced with a monetary fine payable over three years. The convicted individuals did not admit guilt and have already stated that they will appeal to a higher court.

As the UOJ reported, a court in Ryazan fined a Baptist for criticizing Islam in a sermon.

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