Salwan Momika, who in August last year burned a Koran at Rinkebyplan, is now charged with incitement against a group of people.
– I think this issue should be tried in court, says Anna Hankkio, senior prosecutor at the Stockholm district court.
Today, Wednesday, charges have been brought against Salwan Momika and his aide Salwan Najem, for four cases of incitement against a ethnic group. It is about their actions outside the mosque on Södermalm on June 28 and August 24, 2023, and at Rinkebyplan and Benny Fredrikssons Torg on August 25 and 26 of the same year, respectively.
Anna Hankkio thinks that an overall assessment of the cases must be made. According to the indictment, the evidence consists for the most part of video recordings from the events.
– I think, in any case as I interpret the practice that is available, that here clear expressions of disrespect towards Muslims are given with allusions to their creed, which can be judged as incitement against a ethnic group. But at the end of the day, it’s something that the courts get to try.
It is not the first time that charges have been brought for incitement against a group of people when it comes to Koran burning, says Anna Hankkio.
– In Linköping there is a case from last year, where a Koran was burned and racist music was also used. There were guilty verdicts.
At the beginning of August this year, charges were brought in a similar case against Rasmus Paludan, and the district court is expected to hear the case in the autumn.
– Yes, we are several prosecutors who want to have this matter tried, says Anna Hankkio.
Kerstin Gustafsson Figueroa