Three homophobic Muslim men have been jailed for making and
distributing flyers which called for gay people to be killed.
Today, Ihjaz Ali was sentenced to two years in prison, while Kabir
Ahmed and Razwan Javed were both sentenced to 15 months. The
sentencing came after they were found guilty of stirring up hatred
during a trial at Derby Crown Court, last month.
The three men circulated the home-made document - entitled The
Death Penalty? - outside a Derby mosque in summer 2010.
The case is the first of its kind in British legal history.
Stonewall today welcomed sentences. Ben Summerskill, Chief
Executive, said: "Gay people in Derby - and their friends and
families - will feel relieved to see these extremists kept away
from the community that they terrified with their deeply offensive
and threatening leaflets.
"This whole case vindicates Stonewall's long fight to secure
specific legal protection for gay people against incitement to
hatred."
It has been an offence to stir up hatred on the grounds of sexual
orientation since the law was amended by the Criminal Justice and
Immigration Act 2008, which came into force in 2010.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia. Thanks to Nevit Dilmen.
