| Hamza Tzortzis | |
| Birth Name: | Andreas Tzortzis |
| Birth Date: | 1980 |
| Nationality: | British |
| Occupation: | Speaker, Author, Educator |
| Notable Works: | |
| Honours: | British Muslim Awards |
Hamza Andreas Tzortzis (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Χάμζα Ανδρέας Τζώρτζης; born 1980[1]) is a British writer, philosopher, public speaker, researcher on Islam,[2] and Muslim apologist.[3] He is a British Muslim convert of Greek descent. He wrote .
Tzortzis has been a guest speaker in the United Kingdom, Turkey and Australia.[4] [5] Tzortzis was involved in publishing a survey study in 2010 to gauge non-Muslims' views of Islam in the United Kingdom.[2] In 2015 he was a finalist for Religious Advocate of the Year at the British Muslim Awards.[6] Tzortzis has contributed to the BBC news programs: The Big Questions and Newsnight.[7] [8] Tzortzis stepped down from his role at iERA and joined the Sapience Institute as of 2020.[9]
Andrew Gilligan described Tzortzis in a 2010 The Telegraph article as "a former researcher for the hardline Hittin Institute and chaired the launch event of iERA, an umbrella organisation hosting many well-known British Muslim extremists who preach opposition to democracy and hatred against homosexuals and Jews."[4] Tzortzis calls this misrepresentations and lies.[10] After Keele University cancelled a speech by Tzortzis, the Stoke Sentinel called him a "radical Islamic speaker ... a former member of the radical group Hizb ut-Tahrir which believes in the idea of an Islamic state ... who supports Sharia law ... [and has] also been linked to controversial comments on homosexuality and a series of other issues."[11] Tzortzis said in a 2016 interview that, while he still sees homosexuality as "sinful" in the eyes of God, he condemns any violence towards the homosexual community.[10]
According to Metro, Tzortzis has "claimed that those who leave the Islamic faith ‘should be killed.'"[12] He has since stated that he does not believe in apostasy laws, which he calls "outdated".[10] Tzortzis also criticises child marriage, opposes extremism, denounces the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), and tries to present a peaceful case for Islam. In 2016 India's National Investigation Agency (NIA), in a chargesheet against the Islamic State, named Tzortzis as having directly or indirectly influenced suspects accused of having links with ISIS.[10] Tzortzis says that he has influenced Muslims of all persuasions and cannot be blamed for extremists latching onto his words.[10] He further stated that ISIS are "spiritually diseased, sick people".