Many countries around the world including Pakistan have strongly condemned the desecration of the Quran in Sweden.
The heinous act took place during the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha outside the Stockholm Central Mosque and prompted international condemnation particularly from Muslim countries.
Here are some of the reactions:
Pakistan
Pakistan has strongly condemned the despicable acts of public burning of the Holy Quran in Sweden and other countries in Europe.
The Foreign Office issued a statement and said Pakistan has raised the issue of desecration of Holy Quran in Sweden with the Swedish Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad. The statement said the Swedish government has itself expressed concern over the despicable act of desecration of Holy Quran.
Pakistan also called for credible and concrete measures to prevent the rising incidents of xenophobia, Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred.
Pakistan is observing Yaum-e-Taqaddus-e-Quran on Friday, July 7, across the country to lodge protest against desecration of Holy Quran in Sweden.
The joint sitting of the Parliament resolved to uphold the sanctity of the Holy Quran and called for measures to avoid such abhorrent acts in future.
China
China has strongly denounced the Holy Quran desecration act in Sweden and said it, “Opposes any form of Islamophobia and acknowledges the important contribution made by the Islamic civilization for the world.”
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning in a press briefing said that the faith and religious feelings of Muslims should be respected and so-called freedom of speech should not be used as a reason to incite civilization clash and create a confrontation.
The spokesperson said that China has always advocated mutual respect, inclusiveness and understanding among different civilizations, and resolutely opposed extremist acts that attack different religious beliefs and provoke a clash of civilizations.
OIC
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said collective measures were needed to prevent acts of desecration of the Holy Quran and international law should be used to stop religious hatred.
The 57-member bloc held an extraordinary meeting in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah to discuss incident of the Holy Quran’s desecration in Sweden.
“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.
European Union
The European Union joined several Muslim nations and expressed its “strong rejection” of the Holy Quran burning in Sweden, and called the act “offensive, and disrespectful and a clear act of provocation.”
“This act in no way reflects the opinions of the European Union… Manifestations of racism, xenophobia and related intolerance have no place in Europe,” a statement from the bloc said.
The group’s statement added that the Qur’an burning was made even more deplorable at a time when Muslims were celebrating Eid-ul-Azha.
“The EU continues to stand up for freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression, abroad and at home. Now is the time to stand together for mutual understanding and respect and to prevent any further escalation,” the EU said.
Turkey
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan slammed Sweden over the incident, saying Ankara will never bow down to a policy of provocation or threat. “We will teach the arrogant Western people that it is not freedom of expression to insult the sacred values of Muslims,” he said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called the Quran desecration “despicable”. “It is unacceptable to allow these anti-Islamic actions under the pretext of freedom of expression,” Fidan wrote on Twitter. “Turning a blind eye to such atrocious acts is to be complicit.”
Iraq
There was a strong reaction in Iraq as the man who committed the act was an Iraqi refugee who escaped to Sweden few years back.
Iraq summoned the Swedish ambassador to Iraq over the incident. It called the act “racist” and “irresponsible”, adding that it condemns “the repeated acts of burning copies of the holy Quran by individuals with extremist and disturbed minds”.
They are not only racist but also promote violence and hatred,” the Iraqi government said in a statement. “These irresponsible actions, in direct conflict with the values of respect for diversity and the beliefs of others, are unequivocally condemned,” the government added.
Hundreds of Iraqis stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on the instructions of influential Shia leader Moqtada al-Sadr. Many protesters demand to hand the perpetrator to be given an extraordinary punishment.
Iran
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson called the desecration “provocative, ill-considered and unacceptable”. “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.
Saudi Arabia
The Saudi foreign ministry also condemned the burning. “These hateful and repeated acts cannot be accepted with any justification,” it said.
Egypt
Egypt said the act was “shameful”, especially since it took place on Eid-ul-Azha. The foreign ministry also voiced 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.
Jordan
Jordan summoned the Swedish ambassador in Amman and informed of the country’s strong protest. The country condemned the act, calling it “racist” and an “incitement”.
“The Ministry affirmed that burning the Holy Qur’an is an act of dangerous hate, and a manifestation of Islamophobia that incites violence and insulting religions and cannot be considered a form of freedom of expression at all,” the kingdom said in a statement. Jordan said rejecting “extremism” is a “collective responsibility that everyone must abide by”.
Morocco
Morocco went beyond a statement of condemnation and recalled its ambassador to Sweden for an indefinite period. The kingdom’s foreign ministry also called on Sweden’s chargé d’affaires in Rabat and expressed its “strong condemnation of this attack and its rejection of this unacceptable act”, according to state media.
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”.
Yemen
The Yemeni government rejected the incident as one “deliberately provoking the feelings of Muslims around the world on holy Islamic occasions by a hateful extremist movement”, a statement by its foreign ministry said. It also called for an end to the “repeated abuses” stemming from a “culture of hatred”.
Syria
Syria’s government condemned the “disgraceful act” on one of the holiest days for Muslims “by an extremist with the permission and consent of the Swedish government”.
Palestine
The Palestinian foreign ministry called the desecration a “flagrant attack on human rights, values of tolerance, acceptance of others, democracy and peaceful coexistence among followers of all religions”.
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates summoned the Swedish ambassador on Thursday to protest against the burning.
Qatar
Qatar condemned the Swedish authorities’ permission to burn copies of the Quran Thursday calling it a “heinous” act to have especially occurred on Eid.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns that allowing repeated infringement of the Holy Qu’ran under the pretext of freedom of expression fuels hatred and violence, threatens peaceful coexistence, and reveals abhorrent double standards,” its foreign ministry said.
United States
The United States condemned the burning but added that issuing the permit for the demonstration supported freedom of expression.
“We believe the demonstration created an environment of fear that will impact the ability of Muslims and members of other religious minority groups from freely exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief in Sweden,” US Department of State spokesperson Matt Miller said.
“We also believe that issuing the permit for this demonstration supports freedom of expression and is not an endorsement of the demonstration’s actions.”
Sweden
Sweden’s government was also compelled to the incident, calling it an “Islamophobic” act after earlier distancing itself.
“The Swedish Government fully understands that the Islamophobic acts committed by individuals at demonstrations in Sweden can be offensive to Muslims,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. “We strongly condemn these acts, which in no way reflect the views of the Swedish government,” it added.
“The burning of the Quran, or any other holy text, is an offensive and disrespectful act and a clear provocation. Expressions of racism, xenophobia and related intolerance have no place in Sweden or in Europe,” the Swedish foreign ministry said.
