UK: Court affirms that criticizing Islam is a legally protected right under British law
- Mahamunimodi Team
- Nov 11
- 2 min read
The recent ruling by a UK employment tribunal has sparked significant debate after it affirmed that the view “Islam is problematic and should be criticised” qualifies as a protected belief under the Equality Act 2010.
The case centres around Patrick Lee, who filed a belief discrimination claim against the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA). The institute had previously banned and fined him nearly £23,000 over a series of 2020 tweets in which he sharply criticised Islam. In his posts, Lee denounced certain Islamic doctrines that, according to him, encourage violence, gender inequality, intolerance toward homosexuals, and animosity toward other faiths. He went further to describe Islam as “morally bankrupt,” a “dangerous cult,” and a “1300-year-old con trick,” and referred to Prophet Mohammed as a “monster.”
The IFoA’s disciplinary committee deemed many of these comments offensive, stating that out of 83 tweets, 42 were inflammatory, and 29 directly demeaned Muslims. However, at a preliminary hearing in July 2025, Employment Judge David Khan, presiding over the London Central Employment Tribunal, ruled that Lee’s statements stemmed from a genuinely held belief that fits the criteria of a protected philosophical belief under Section 10(2) of the Equality Act.
Judge Khan clarified that criticising a religion’s doctrines is not the same as targeting its followers, noting that Lee’s intention was to challenge “offending doctrines and practices” that are still regarded as authentic by Islamic authorities, rather than to insult Muslims personally.
The tribunal’s decision has been hailed by free speech advocates as a crucial step in distinguishing criticism of religious ideologies from harassment of individuals. Supporters argue that this ruling reinforces the right to express robust opinions about religion without fear of professional or legal repercussions. As one commentator noted, “The judge in this case has recognised the essential difference between disrespecting a belief and disrespecting those who hold it. For too long, criticism of Islam has been mistakenly equated with hostility toward Muslims — a confusion that has severely chilled open debate and freedom of expression.”
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