Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani has called on the Islamic world to assume its political and legal responsibility towards preserving the sanctity of the Holy Quran, asserting that its desecration constituted a violation of international norms and laws while also igniting hatred, extremism and violence.
The minister made the remarks while participating in the extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) member states, held virtually yesterday. The meeting, chaired by Mauritanian Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Marzouk, was devoted to discussing the recurrent burning and desecration of copies of the Quran in Denmark and Sweden.
Dr Al Zayani reiterated Bahrain’s denunciation of calls for religious hatred by any means, and its constant call to promote dialogue, understanding and co-operation among religions, cultures and civilisations as the best means to promote peace and harmony worldwide.
He called on the international community to adopt urgent legislation and laws to curb the spread of Islamophobia, criminalise the desecration of the Holy Quran and Islamic sanctities, and promote the values of tolerance and co-existence among peoples of different religions, beliefs and cultures.
He stressed that Bahrain categorically rejects the exploitation of freedom of opinion and expression, by extremist groups or individuals, to offend the Islamic religion, without taking the feelings of two billion Muslims around the world into account.
The Foreign Minister urged the international community to consolidate respect for religious rights and freedoms, prevent offences to all religions and beliefs, as well as religious sanctities and symbols. He stressed the need to step up co-operation to establish a culture of peace, tolerance and mutual respect and enhance security and stability across the world.
Saudi Arabia and Iraq called for the meeting, which was attended by OIC countries’ foreign ministers, in addition to OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha.
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