Bahrain has strongly condemned the burning of a copy of the Holy Quran by an extremist in front of the main mosque in Stockholm, Sweden.
The Foreign Ministry yesterday denounced in the strongest terms the heinous act which provokes Muslims’ feelings worldwide and fuels hatred and violence.
“Defaming religions is inconsistent with religious freedom and the values of tolerance and human coexistence,” said the ministry, adding that the despicable act, which incites hatred, extremism and violence, is also in breach of international charters and laws.
The ministry called for decisive measures to deter such acts which do not reflect human and ethical values.
The GDN yesterday reported that Iraqi national Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old who fled to Sweden several years ago, on Wednesday tore up the Quran before setting several pages alight in front of a mosque in the Swedish capital. The incident occurred as Muslims around the world marked the Eid Al Adha holiday.
Swedish police had granted him permit for the protest in accordance with free-speech laws, but said later that it had opened an investigation into the incident that has sparked anger across the Muslim world. In January, a Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist had burned a copy of the Quran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.
Middle Eastern nations including Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE and Egypt have strongly criticised the burning.
Morocco and Jordan yesterday recalled their ambassadors to Stockholm while the UAE, Iraq and Iran summoned the Swedish ambassadors to express their protest over the act. The UAE said Sweden disregarded its international responsibilities and demonstrated a lack of respect for social values.
Morocco also summoned Sweden’s charge d’affaires in Rabat. Morocco said that the offensive and irresponsible act “committed under the complacent gaze of the Swedish government disregarded the feelings of more than a billion Muslims at this sacred time of the great pilgrimage to Mecca and the blessed feast of Eid Al Adha”.
Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said burning the Holy Quran was an act of “dangerous hate and a manifestation of Islamophobia” that incites violence. It further added that the act cannot be considered a form of freedom of expression and asserted that hate speech and action must be countered.
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry said “perpetrators of such hostile acts should be brought to book and prevented from using the principle of freedoms as a ploy to justify hostility against Islam or any holy faith.”
Meanwhile, dozens of people stormed the compound of the Swedish embassy in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, yesterday after a cleric called for an “angry” protest. Videos posted on social media appeared to show dozens of protesters walking inside the courtyard.
The Iraqi government also strongly condemned “the repeated acts of burning copies of the Quran by individuals with extremist and disturbed minds”.
“These acts demonstrate a hateful and aggressive spirit that goes against the principles of freedom of expression,” it said. “They are not only racist but also promote violence and hatred.”
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