The Swedish government has reacted strongly to the public desecration of a copy of the Holy Quran during Eid ul Adha, denouncing it as a heinous “Islamophobic act”.
The act was committed in Stockholm, where an individual publicly tore and burned a copy of the holy book before a central mosque. The individual was later charged with incitement against an ethnic or national group by the police.
In a formal statement, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs made it clear that the act did not mirror the views of the Swedish government. This incident has sparked a series of demonstrations against Islam in Sweden, igniting outrage in the Muslim world, including Turkey. Turkey’s foreign minister criticized accepting such anti-Islam protests under the banner of freedom of expression as unacceptable.
UNAOC and Pakistan Denounce the Incident
Earlier in the day, Miguel Moratinos, the High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC), denounced the “vile act” of burning pages of the Holy Quran.
Moratinos reiterated the criticality of upholding freedom of expression as a basic human right while asserting that the desecration of sacred books and religious symbols was “unacceptable and could incite violence”. He highlighted the importance of mutual respect for fostering just, inclusive, and peaceful societies grounded in human rights and dignity for all.
Read: Putin Condemns Quran Desecration and Affirms Its Punishability in Russia
Similarly, Pakistan strongly condemned the incident, terming it a “despicable act”. The Foreign Office stated that incitement to discrimination, hatred, and violence could not be justified as freedom of expression or protest.
It pointed out that the rise of Islamophobic incidents in the West raised serious questions about the legal framework that permitted such actions driven by hate. It reiterated Pakistan’s stance that the right to freedom of expression and opinion does not grant a license to stir up hatred or disrupt interfaith harmony.
It also called upon the international community and national governments to take legitimate and concrete steps to counter the increasing incidents of xenophobia, Islamophobia, and anti-Muslim hatred.
