Man linked to Quran-stepping video arrested over separate case of insulting Muslims
The man was arrested on Thursday after being deported from Malaysia.
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SINGAPORE: A 27-year-old man linked to a viral video showing someone stepping on the Quran on a public bus will be charged on Friday (Aug 7) over a separate case of insulting Muslims.
The man was arrested on Thursday after being deported from Malaysia.
He is accused of posting videos of himself on social media making insulting and profane remarks against the Muslim community in Singapore.
The police said they received a report about the man on Mar 1, but he had already left Singapore before that.
"With the assistance of the Royal Malaysia Police, the man was deported from Malaysia on Aug 6, 2026, and was arrested by the police upon his arrival in Singapore on the same day," the Singapore Police Force said in a media release.
He will be charged in court with the offence of insulting the religion of another person. The offence carries a jail term of up to five years, a fine or both.
The police said the man is also assisting in investigations into the incident involving a video which showed someone stepping on the Quran on a bus.
The police had on Mar 7 issued five Disabling Directions under the Online Criminal Harms Act to Meta to disable access to the offending content for users in Singapore.
According to Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam, the man linked to the Quran-stepping video is likely the same person who previously uploaded similar videos.
He was charged and convicted in July last year, and was then jailed and released in December. “When he was convicted in July last year, there was some evidence that he was mentally unwell,” Mr Shanmugam told reporters in March.
The police said on Thursday that they take a serious view of acts that threaten racial and religious harmony in Singapore.
"Any person who makes remarks or acts in a manner which can cause enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between the different racial or religious groups in Singapore will be dealt with swiftly and firmly in accordance with the law," they added.
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