Who Is Fayaz Khan, the Afghan TikToker Jailed for Threatening Nigel Farage?

An Afghan TikTok user has been jailed in the UK for making violent threats against Nigel Farage in a social media video that showed him miming gunfire and referring directly to the politician.

The man, identified in court as Fayaz Khan, was convicted at Southwark Crown Court of making a threat to kill and sentenced to five years in prison. He had entered the UK illegally from Sweden, where he has previous convictions for violent offences.

The case has drawn attention to how online activity and cross-border criminal behaviour can collide, raising questions about the handling of threats made through social media platforms.

Who Is Fayaz Khan?

Fayaz Khan, also known online as 'Madapasa', is believed to be an Afghan national who has lived in Stockholm, Sweden, since about 2019. Court documents list his age as 26, although Swedish records suggest he may be 31 under the name Fayaz Husseini, according to Euronews.

He became known on TikTok for posting provocative videos under several aliases. Swedish authorities linked him to a record of threatening behaviour and weapon-related offences.

UK prosecutors said Khan entered Britain by small boat, using false personal details. He later admitted entering the country illegally. The court found that his use of false information was more likely linked to his criminal past than to fear of persecution.

TikTok Threat and Arrest

Between 12 and 15 October 2024, Khan posted a TikTok video in which he threatened Nigel Farage. In the clip, he made gun gestures, head-butted the camera, and pointed to a tattoo of an AK-47 rifle on his face while saying, 'Englishman Nigel, don't talk rubbish about me. I'm coming to England. I'm going to pop, pop, pop.'

The video was a response to a YouTube post by Farage titled The Journey of an Illegal Migrant, in which the Reform UK leader referred to 'young males of fighting age' and included footage of Khan's journey.

Police traced Khan through his social media accounts and arrested him soon after his arrival in the UK. Farage described the video as 'pretty chilling' and the judge, in her sentencing remarks, said it went beyond online abuse. Farage told the court he was 'genuinely worried' for his safety, according to The Independent.

Verdict and Sentencing

A jury at Southwark Crown Court found Khan guilty by a 10–2 majority of making a threat to kill. He was also convicted of entering the UK illegally. The judge sentenced him to five years in prison, with both sentences to run concurrently.

The defence said Khan had been under the influence of cannabis when he recorded the video and did not fully understand its implications. He claimed he did not know who Farage was and said the remarks were made as a joke.

Why the Case Matters

The case underscores how threats made on social media are increasingly treated as serious criminal offences in the UK. It also illustrates how the visibility of public figures online can make them targets for intimidation that crosses borders.

Khan's conviction adds to a growing number of prosecutions testing how far online speech can cross into criminal territory. For prosecutors, it marks a warning that digital platforms offer no immunity from law; for users, a reminder that the reach of social media carries the same responsibilities as any public space.