Denmark says seeks ‘legal means’ to stop desecration of holy books following global backlash

The Sunday announcement followed several incidents over the past month that featured desecration of the Holy Qur’an both in Denmark and Sweden with the approval of the two countries’ authorities, which drew strongly-worded condemnations from across the globe.

The sacrilegious acts also opened the floodgates of protests throughout the Muslim world, including in Iran, with all Muslim countries condemning the reprehensible profanity in the strongest terms.

Stressing that such acts of sacrilege “are deeply offensive and reckless acts committed by few individuals,” Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen claimed in a statement issued by Danish Foreign Ministry that “these few individuals do not represent the values the Danish society is built on.”

“The Danish government will therefore explore the possibility of intervening in special situations where, for instance, other countries, cultures, and religions are being insulted, and where this could have significant negative consequences for Denmark, not least with regard to security,” the statement said.

The ministry, however, claimed that any measure taken in this regard “must of course be done within the framework of the constitutionally protected freedom of expression … in Denmark.”

In a separate statement, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he has been in close contact with his Danish counterpart, Mette Frederiksen, adding that a similar process is already underway in Sweden.

Following the acts of desecration, a number of Muslim countries summoned Danish and Swedish envoys to convey their strong protests to their respective governments, while recalling their own ambassadors. Iraq moved as far as cutting its diplomatic relations with Sweden, while Iran said it will not send a new ambassador to Stockholm and will not accept the Nordic country’s new envoy.

Iran also summoned Danish ambassador to Tehran in protest at desecration of the Holy Qur’an in Copenhagen.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is also expected to hold a meeting on Monday to address desecration of the Holy Qur’an in Sweden and Denmark.

Speaking last Sunday, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raeisi said the green light given to desecration of the Holy Qur’an by the European countries was in contravention of their own claim to freedom of expression.

“Despite the [European countries’] claim to freedom of expression, the permission issued [by them] for the recent acts of desecration against the Holy Qur’an exemplifies ‘modern ignorance’,” the Iranian president said.