Slovak Woman Faces Jail Time for Desecrating the Quran
According to media reports, 24-year-old Sheila Szmerekova, of the central Slovakian city of Ruzomberok, recorded herself desecrating and setting on fire what appeared to be a Quran.
The authorities took note of the incident after the video went viral on Facebook in December 2016.
In the video, Szmerekova declared war on Muslim 'parasites', insulted the book, then set it on fire, with the national flag behind her.
She was also heard making threats to Muslims.
"I will hunt you all step by step. No matter if it is a woman, a child or a man. I will bump off anybody who gets in my way. I do not care about the criminal complaints. It will not stop me. I have a message for everybody, including the police — nobody will stop me."
A Special Court in Banska Bystrica ruled that Szmerekova will be kept in custody before she faces trial for her case, the Mirror reported.
She is accused of creating extremist promotional materials, defamation of a nation and race and incitement of national, racial or ethnic hatred.
The spokesperson of the general prosecutor's office Andrea Predajnova said that the video was shared online in December 2016.
A police spokesperson who had seen the video said that in the video the accused "shows a book with the title The Quran and she repeatedly said that it was the Quran".
