According to the Charity Commission, Mr Mohammed Tellesy has been sacked as a trustee of Exeter Mosque and Cultural Centre following a year-long campaign by members of the Exeter Muslim and wider community. He has been replaced by Dr Mohammad Muslim Saflo, a local British-Syrian.

Mr Tellesy had been named in the original petition launched on this website a year ago as someone the community would not accept to be made a trustee by Mr Shaheed Ul Hassan, the head of the board of trustees. Mr Hassan appointed Mr Tellesy unilaterally without any consultation with the community, opening the post to candidates for nominations, elections or even the holding of a long-awaited AGM. There was no democratic accountability or transparency in his appointment, or indeed in the appointment of his successor Dr Saflo, or even Mr Taha Hassan - Mr Shaheed Ul Hassan's son.

Mr Tellesy was someone identified by members of the community as having a questionable and patchy business record and also a history of violent behaviour, having admitted to the offence of assaulting a member of the community. This made him uniquely unsuitable to hold office in a religious charity, according to the petitioners.

It is unclear if Mr Tellesy was removed from office by Mr Hassan due to the petition, but the petitioners have ensured that the pressure to clean up their local mosque from suspect elements has continued without let up.

This is yet another win for the good people of Exeter and the local Muslim community, and the petitioners thank you for your ongoing commitment, support and solidarity in bringing transparency, democracy and openness to Exeter Mosque and Cultural Centre.