Denmark is to think about a brand new legislation banning the desecration of spiritual books in entrance of international embassies over safety fears.
It comes after a string of Koran burning incidents in Denmark and Sweden sparked indignant protests – and threatened a diplomatic disaster between the 2 international locations and Muslim nations.
Sweden can also be “assessing” the authorized scenario after its embassy in Iraq was stormed by protesters in response to the burning of the Koran outdoors the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm final month.
On Sunday, Denmark’s international minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen mentioned that the burning of holy scriptures “solely serves the aim of making division in a world that really wants unity”.
“That’s the reason we’ve got determined within the authorities that we’ll take a look at how, in very particular conditions, we are able to put an finish to mockery of different international locations, which is in direct battle with Danish pursuits and the security of the Danes,” he advised the Danish public broadcaster DR.
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Burning protests
It comes after a latest string of public Koran desecrations by anti-Islam activists in Denmark and neighbouring Sweden sparked indignant demonstrations in Muslim international locations.
Final month, an Iraqi Christian refugee residing in Sweden burned a duplicate of the non secular textual content outdoors Stockholm’s central mosque.
There have been additionally burning protest associated to Sweden’s utility to affix NATO.
These behind the incidents had hoped to stoke tensions with Turkey, which had beforehand vetoed Sweden’s entry to the alliance over long-running diplomatic disputes.
The protests later unfold to neighbouring Denmark, the place far-right activists set fireplace to a Koran subsequent to an Iraqi flag earlier this month.
The Koran is Islam’s sacred textual content, and inflicting injury to it’s thought of extremely offensive to Muslims.
However Sweden and Denmark each have robust freedom of speech legal guidelines, and authorities had given permission for the protests prematurely.
This sparked anger from Muslim international locations – together with Turkey, Iraq and Algeria.
Protesters from the ‘Danish Patriots’ reveal in entrance of the Iraqi embassy in Copenhagen
Protesters storm embassies
Earlier this month, protesters in Iraq stormed the Swedish embassy in central Baghdad, scaling the partitions of the compound and setting it on fireplace.
Days later, tons of of protesters tried to storm the town’s closely fortified diplomatic zone in response to the Koran burning incident in Denmark.
Based on Mr Lokke Rasmussen, 5 Korans have been burnt on Sunday in entrance of international embassies within the Danish capital Copenhagen, whereas one other seven have been attributable to be set alight on Monday.
He mentioned the Danish authorities was decided to search out “a authorized instrument” to ban such acts with out compromising the county’s freedom of expression legal guidelines.
“There have to be room for non secular criticism, and we’ve got no ideas of reintroducing a blasphemy clause,” he advised DR.
“However while you rise up in entrance of a international embassy and burn a Koran or burn the Torah scroll in entrance of the Israeli embassy, it serves no different function than to mock.”
Protesters collect in Baghdad’s Tahrir Sq. after the burning of a Koran in Denmark. Pic: AP
‘Deeply offensive’
The Danish authorities beforehand reiterated its dedication to freedom of expression in an announcement on Sunday.
But it surely added that the burning of the Koran had resulted within the nation being seen in lots of locations around the globe as a rustic “that facilitates insult and denigration of the cultures, religions, and traditions of different international locations”.
It additionally condemned desecrations as “deeply offensive and reckless acts dedicated by few people” and “don’t symbolize the values the Danish society is constructed on”.
In Sweden, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson mentioned on Sunday that his authorities is analysing the authorized scenario concerning desecration of the Koran and different holy books.
“We’re in probably the most severe safety coverage scenario because the Second World Warfare,” Mr Kristersson mentioned.
The Organisation of Islamic Co-operation referred to as an emergency distant assembly on Monday to debate the Koran burnings in Sweden and Denmark.