2023-07-02 22:49:13
The Swedish Executive of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has condemned this Sunday the “Islamophobic” burning of a Koran in front of the main mosque in Stockholm earlier this week, after the complaint by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
“Islamophobic acts committed by individuals in Sweden can be offensive to Muslims,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged in a statement. “We strongly condemn these acts, which do not reflect the government’s positions.”
The Ministry headed by the conservative Tobias Billström stressed that the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and demonstration are protected by the Constitution in Sweden.
“The burning of the Koran or any other sacred book is an offensive and disrespectful act and is a clear provocation. Expressions of racism, xenophobia and intolerance related to this must not have space in Sweden or in Europe,” the Ministry insisted.
The Swedish authorities also indicated that they had opened an investigation for “agitation against an ethnic group”.
The OIC, made up of 57 member countries, met at its headquarters in Jeddah to respond to Wednesday’s act, when an Iraqi residing in Sweden, Salwan Momika, 37, burned several pages of the Islamic holy book. The OIC asks member states “to take unified and collective measures to prevent the repetition of these incidents,” the organization’s statement said.
Countries like Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco summoned the Swedish ambassadors in those countries.
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