Sweden’s government on Sunday condemned this week’s burning of a Holy Quran outside Stockholm’s main mosque, calling it an “Islamophobic” act, after an international Islamic body called for measures to avoid future burnings.
“The Swedish Government fully understands that the Islamophobic acts committed by individuals at demonstrations in Sweden can be offensive to Muslims. We strongly condemn these acts, which in no way reflect the views of the Swedish government,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, while noting that Sweden had a constitutionally protected freedom of expression.
An Islamic grouping of 57 states said on Sunday collective measures are needed to prevent acts of desecration to the Quran and international law should be used to stop religious hatred after the holy book was burned in a protest in Sweden.
The statement by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, most of whose members have a Muslim-majority population, was issued after an extraordinary meeting in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah called to discuss Wednesday’s incident.
“We must send constant reminders to the international community regarding the urgent application of international law, which clearly prohibits any advocacy of religious hatred,” OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha said.
A man tore up and burned a Quran outside Stockholm’s central mosque on Wednesday, the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holidays. The act angered OIC member Turkey whose backing Sweden needs to gain entry to the NATO military alliance.
Swedish police had granted permission for a protest to take place. But after the burning, police charged the man who carried it out with agitation against an ethnic or national group.
The incident has triggered large protests in Baghdad in front of the Swedish Embassy. It has also been condemned by the United States.
Turkey in late January suspended talks with Sweden on its NATO application after a Danish far-right politician burned a copy of the Quran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.
