International

From Iran To Egypt, Muslim-Majority Countries Denounce Burning Of Quran In Sweden

The desecration of the Quran by a protester in Sweden has sparked condemnation from several countries. The incident took place during a small demonstration that had been granted permission by the police to take place outside a mosque in Stockholm.

Sweden Quran burnings
info_icon

Many countries have condemned the act of desecration of the Quran by a protestor in Sweden after police gave permission to a small demonstration to take place outside a Stockholm mosque on Wednesday at which the organisers said they would "tear up the Quran and burn it".

Police later charged the man who tore up and burned a Quran outside Stockholm's central mosque on Wednesday, with agitation against an ethnic or national group and a violation of a ban on fires which has been in place in Sweden.

Which countries have condemned Quran desecration in Sweden?

Turkey

Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan condemned the act in a tweet, saying that was unacceptable to allow anti-Islam protests in the name of freedom of expression. 

“The government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran… do not tolerate such an insult and strongly condemn it,” said Nasser Kanani.

“The Swedish government is expected to seriously consider the principle of responsibility and accountability in this regard, while preventing the repetition of insulting the holy sanctities,” he added.

Egypt

Egypt's Foreign Ministry issued a statement voicing concern about “repeated incidents” of the burning of the Quran in Europe. 

“Egypt expresses its deep concern about the repeated incidents of burning the Holy Qur’an and the recent escalation of Islamophobia and crimes of blasphemy of religions in some European countries, affirming its total rejection of all reprehensible practices that affect the constants and religious beliefs of Muslims,” it said in a statement.

Iraq

The Iraq government in a statement alled the act “racist” and “irresponsible”, adding that it condemns “the repeated acts of burning copies of the holy Koran by individuals with extremist and disturbed minds”.

Kuwait

Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the burning was a “dangerous, provocative step that inflames the feelings of Muslims around the world”.

It called on the international community and governments “to take responsibility for swift action to renounce feelings of hatred, extremism and religious intolerance," according to a report by AlJazeera.

Syria

Syria's government too condemned the act on one of the holiest days for Muslims “by an extremist with the permission and consent of the Swedish government”