close
Tuesday February 18, 2025

Holy Quran burnings outside Turkey, Egypt embassies in Denmark infuriate Muslims

Surge in Holy Quran desecrations prompt Iraq's call EU countries to "quickly reconsider so-called freedom of expression"

By Web Desk
July 25, 2023
A demonstrator holds a copy of the Holy Quran during a rally in Iraqs central shrine city of Kufa after a Friday prayer denouncing the holy books burning in Sweden on 21 July 2023. — AFP
A demonstrator holds a copy of the Holy Quran during a rally in Iraq's central shrine city of Kufa after a Friday prayer denouncing the holy book's burning in Sweden on 21 July 2023. — AFP

More copies of the Holy Quran have been desecrated Tuesday in front of the Egyptian and Turkish embassies in Copenhagen, following a demonstration of burning the holy book at the Iraqi embassy in Denmark on Monday, enraging Muslims worldwide.

Denmark and Sweden made a statement that seems to excuse those responsible for such heinous acts in the name of "freedom of speech". Although they expressed that they deplore the act, but claimed that they cannot intervene because it falls under the rules of  "protecting freedom of speech".

Last week, protesters in Baghdad set fire to the Swedish embassy in response to an act that has angered billions of Muslims, as reported by Geo News.

A group known as "Danish Patriots" held a protest on Tuesday in Copenhagen who previously burned copies of the Holy Quran on Monday and the previous week outside the Iraqi embassy. Similar incidents have occurred in Sweden within the last month.

Iraq's foreign ministry Monday called on authorities of EU countries to "quickly reconsider so-called freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate in light of the Quran burnings."

Turkey Monday said it strongly condemned what it called a "despicable attack" on the Holy Quran and called on Denmark to take necessary measures to prevent this "hate crime" against Islam.

The Egyptian foreign ministry Tuesday summoned Sweden's charge d'affaires to condemn the desecration of the copies of the Holy Quran.

"People benefit from an extended freedom of speech when they demonstrate," University of Copenhagen law Professor Trine Baumbach said, explaining Danish laws.

"It does not just include verbal expression. People can express themselves in various ways, such as through the burning of items."

The organiser of Monday's demonstration in Copenhagen stomped on the Holy Quran and set it alight in a tin foil tray next to the Iraqi flag on the ground.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday that people who desecrate the Holy Quran should face the "most severe punishment"

Weeks earlier, Pope Francis also condemned the burning of the Holy Quran in Sweden, in June saying that the vile act had "angered and disgusted" him.

"Any book considered holy should be respected to respect those who believe in it," the pope said in an interview with the United Arab Emirates newspaper Al Ittihad.

"Freedom of speech should never be used as a means to despise others and allowing that is rejected and condemned."