Three Muslim men were jailed in Britain on Friday for distributing leaflets calling for homosexuals to be executed.Ihjaz Ali, Kabir Ahmed and Razwan Javed were the first to be convicted of instigating hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation, under laws that went into force in 2010. They gave out a pamphlet called "The Death Penalty?", which quoted Islamic texts calling for capital punishment as the only way to rid society of homosexuality.
At Derby Crown Court in central England, taxi driver Ali, 42, was imprisoned for two years. Ahmed and Javed, both aged 28, were jailed for 15 months each.
The pamphlet says, "The death sentence is the only way this immoral crime can be erased from corrupting society and act as a deterrent for any other ill person who is remotely inclined in this bent way. The only dispute amongst the classical authorities was the method employed in carrying out the penal code."
It went on to suggest burning, being thrown from a high place such as a mountain or building, or being stoned to death as appropriate methods.
Judge John Burgess told the men, "You have been convicted of intending to stir up hatred. It follows that your intention was to do great harm in a peaceful community."
The leaflet was handed out in July 2010 to publicize a demonstration in response to a gay pride parade to be held in Derby that month. Two other leaflets, called "Turn or Burn" and "GAY (God Abhors You)," were also handed out.
Upon sentencing the men, Burgess said, "I am obviously keen to dissuade anyone from distributing this sort of material in the future."
Two other men were found not guilty on the same charges.