Imam faces charges for comparing gays to paedophiles
Denmark is pursuing charges against an imam who linked gays to paedophiles.
The Muslim preacher, who has not been named publicly, is the subject of a case filed by Danish prosecutors.
Prosecutor Jan Reckendorff said that the man had been charged for making homophobic remarks and likening gay people to paedophiles.
The comments were apparently made to the media in the wake of the the Orlando terror attack on the Pulse nightclub.
He faces a charge of making comments deemed threatening, insulting or degrading to a group of persons because of their race, colour, national or ethnic origin, belief or sexual orientation.
If found guilty, the imam could face a fine or up to two years in jail if found guilty.
A vigil to Orlando victims
Ms Reckendorff told Associated Press that the remarks “were so rough” that the issue would would a court of law must now decide whether Danish law has been violated.
No trial date has been set.
49 people were killed in the attack on Orlando’s Pulse gay nightclub, the single biggest mass shooting in modern US history and the worst atrocity targeted against the LGBT community.
Imams across the US and world broadly condemned the atrocity, issuing joint statements disavowing the attack which took place during the holy month of Ramadan.
A gay-inclusive Muslim preacher recently opened up about how the Orlando massacre moved him to reach out to LGBT people.
Many of the victims were LGBT and members of the Latino community.
911 recordings later revealed that the gunman had pledged allegiance to the Islamist terrorist group known as ISIS.
The city of Orlando recently marked the first anniversary of the attack.
One year on, the local community marked the event with a Day of Love and Kindness, with events held across Orlando to remember those who perished in the attack.
