In light of recent incidents involving the desecration of the Holy Quran, Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned such acts, stating they are punishable offences under Russian law. He highlighted that while some countries might not recognize such acts as crimes, Russia’s Constitution and penal code consider them as such.
As Anadolu Agency, Turkey’s wire service, reported, the President’s remarks came during a visit to Derbent in the Dagestan Autonomous Republic of the Russian Federation.
Putin’s Visit to Historical Derbent Mosque
During his visit, Putin visited the historic mosque of Derbent and interacted with Muslim representatives from Dagestan. TASS, a Russian news agency, reported that the president received a copy of the Holy Quran as a gift during his visit to the Juma Mosque. Gratefully accepting the gift, Putin emphasized, “The Quran is sacred for Muslims and should be sacred for others. We will always abide by these rules.”
Context of Putin’s Statements
Putin’s remarks follow a recent incident in Sweden where a man publicly desecrated a copy of the Holy Quran outside Stockholm’s central mosque. The act and a series of anti-Islam protests in Sweden have caused a significant backlash from the global Muslim community, including condemnation from Turkish officials.
Read: Pakistan Condemns Public Desecration of Quran in Sweden
Earlier this year, the Russian Foreign Ministry criticized a similar incident in Sweden, branding it “a provocative act of Islamophobia.” Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the ministry, expressed her concern about such actions, stating they have predictably sparked harsh reactions from the Islamic world, including the Russian Muslim community.
