Salwan Momika is charged with incitement against a ethnic group

Published 28 August 2024 at 12.06

Domestic. Today, charges were brought against Koran-burner Salwan Momika, 38, and his helper Salwan Najem, 49. They are accused of incitement against a group of people after four Koran-burnings in different places in Stockholm during the summer of 2023.

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The two men are charged with four counts of incitement against a group of people after events that took place outside the mosque on Södermalm on June 28 and August 24, 2023, as well as events at Rinkebyplan and Benny Fredrikssons Torg on 25 respectively on August 26 of the same year.

According to the indictment, the evidence consists for the most part of video recordings from the events.

– They are both accused of having made statements and handled a Koran on these four occasions in ways intended to express disrespect towards Muslims because of their faith. It is my opinion that the men's statements and actions fall under the provision of incitement against ethnic groups, and it is important that the court is allowed to examine this issue, says senior prosecutor Anna Hankkio, who is the head of the preliminary investigation, in a statement.

Salwan Najem is also charged with benefit offences.

“Salwan Najem has failed to report changed conditions that he is obliged to report according to law or regulation by not reporting to Försäkringskassan that his ability to work has improved. He thereby caused danger to that sickness benefit and housing allowance were to be wrongly paid out with a total of SEK 72,380 and SEK 28,355 respectively, which also happened,” the indictment states.