Finally, an intelligent member of the establishment.
Still, this victory for the freedom of speech goes against the prevailing winds in Britain, which has never been more divided. Judge Khan made a just decision in defense of British traditions and its freedoms over special interest groups. Such a standard should be commonplace across the board in every Western free country, but it isn’t.
“Criticism of Islam is ruled a legally protected belief – after man was banned and fined thousands of pounds over social media posts,” by Olivia Allhusen, Daily Mail, November 8, 2025:
The view that Islam is problematic and should be criticised is a protected belief under equalities law, an employment tribunal has ruled.
Patrick Lee is pursuing a belief discrimination claim against the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) after it banned him and fined him nearly £23,000 last year over a series of tweets criticising Islam.
Mr Lee’s posts, made in 2020, condemned doctrines he said justified violence, inequality for women and homosexuals and hatred towards religious groups.
He labelled Islam as ‘morally bankrupt’, a ‘dangerous cult’ and a ‘1300 year old con trick’, while the Prophet Mohammed was referred to as a ‘monster’, the IFoA’s disciplinary body said.
It said out of 83 tweets, 42 were offensive or inflammatory and 29 specifically demeaned Muslims.
At a preliminary hearing held by video link at the London Central Employment Tribunal in July of this year, Employment Judge David Khan ruled that Mr Lee had established that he genuinely held the pleaded belief, which meets the definition of a ‘protected belief’ under section 10(2) of the Equality Act 2010.
The judge wrote: ‘I do not find that these tweets and the pleaded belief are mutually exclusive. Nor incompatible.
‘I find that the claimant’s evidence in relation to these tweets, that he was inveighing against the offending doctrines and practices because they continued to be treated as authentic and officially sanctioned by Islamic leaders, was not inconsistent with the pleaded belief.’…
‘The judge in this case has grasped the important distinction between disrespecting a belief and disrespecting a person who holds that belief.
‘Too often, robust criticism of Islam is treated as a form of harassment against Muslims and conflating the two has had a chilling effect on free speech.’
Emilie Green says
A long-held contention of mine: There is nothing in this world that is above criticism.
Significantly this view was held by those who insisted that the Bill of Rights (1791) be added to the Constitution.
Especially for what the left calls “hate speech.”
gravenimage says
Spot on, Emilie.
Alkflaeda says
Another nail in the coffin of the UK Government’s beleaguered Islamophobia definition. I’ve always been sceptical about the existence of the “moderate Muslim”, and tended to substitute “nominal” for “moderate”, but unless he is a convert to another faith, Judge Khan sounds as if he might actually be a moderate.
CryHavoc says
Dry erh!!! Someone has decided the job folks still have some rights….
England Invaded says
I’m sure our appalling authorities will still find ways to hound people.
On another note, good to see the BBC getting it’s comeuppance with misrepresenting Trump.
Eddie says
If this ruling actually counts for anything I remain sceptical.
Awful to admit it but I have no faith in the UK justice system any more.
I would love to see this as the start of a change in the way the wind is blowing but I cannot.
I think this is being done as a symbolic minor concession due to the mounting criticism of Islam and almost daily two tier justice abuses in favour of Muslims.
Judge Khan ?
Nothing is more dangerous than an apparently plausible moderate Muslim. We know what they represent and that ideology does not make concessions unless it is tactical.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Yeah, gives muslims a chance to say: “Look, here is one of our judges who are fairer to you than your own judges”
Isabella van der westhuizen says
Patrick Lee may have won his case in a secular court but no doubt some Iman will post a fatwa advising any one of the billion muslims in the world to kill him.
James Lincoln says
Judge Khan is a very brave man.
gravenimage says
UK: Judge rules that the right to criticize Islam is protected under British law
………………………………………………………..
*Good*. Of course. this *should* be obvious.
somehistory says
A little good news. Will the police fall in line with the decision by the judge?
Michael Paul Skok says
They will probably arrest him.
somehistory says
Probably. And the muzzies among them will beat him up for resisting.
Winston 101 says
I hope this Judge Khan is honest in this ruling and it’s not just a tactical retreat. We would need to know much more about his rulings in the past, present and future. In short, more evidence of his legal understanding.
I also hope also that he has good security and takes his security seriously.
Keep up the good work.