By Necva Tastan Sevinc
ISTANBUL (AA) - Sweden’s Court of Appeal on Monday converted the four-month prison sentence of Danish far-right Stram Kurs (Hard Line) party leader Rasmus Paludan, convicted of hate speech against Muslims, into a fine.
In a statement, the Skane Court of Appeal said Paludan’s four-month prison sentence for committing a hate crime against an ethnic group was replaced with a fine of 2,500 Swedish kronor (approximately $264).
Paludan was initially sentenced to four months in prison on Nov. 5, 2024, after being found guilty of insulting Muslims during a Qur’an-burning incident in Malmo in 2022, the Swedish news broadcaster SVT reported.
He had filed an appeal against the Malmo District Court's ruling, which resulted in the latest decision by the higher court.
- Qur’an burning incidents
In 2022, during the Easter holidays, Paludan staged a series of Qur’an-burning provocations in several Swedish cities, including Malmo, Norrkoping, Jonkoping, and Stockholm.
His actions sparked violent clashes between protesters and police, leaving several people injured.
Paludan later burned a copy of the Qur’an outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm, where police protected him during the act.