The Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Philadelphia) today welcomed the sentencing of Yoniv Gola, who reportedly made threats targeting Muslims and Jews.
He pleaded guilty to using a device to mask his phone number as he made hundreds of threatening phone calls and texts to both Jews and Muslims. The man reportedly had eight victims between August 2022 and November 2023. He will spend 16 months in prison, which will then be followed by three years of supervised release.
In a statement, CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu said:
“No one deserves to be subjected to threats on the basis of their religion. We thank law enforcement authorities for apprehending the alleged perpetrator of this crime and welcome the sentence. Mr. Gola terrorized individuals from within his own faith and the Muslim faith. He agreed to planting division and hate among our communities. In the sentencing hearing, I was moved to hear the testimonies of individuals he threatened through hundreds of phone calls involving threats of physical harm and sexual violence. We hope that this sentence helps Mr. Gola reform himself and connect further with his family and community and make amends with the people he threatened – a commitment he voiced during the hearing.”
Contact: CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Ahmet Tekelioglu, atekelioglu@cair.com; 617-401-5397
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT:
Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu, PhD
Executive Director
CAIR-Philadelphia | CAIR-PA https://pa.cair.com
atekelioglu@cair.com | 617-401-5397 (c)