OIC Calls for Concerted Action to Respond to Quran Burning in Sweden

2023-07-02 22:58:14

MADRID, 2 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Hissein Brahim Taha, the secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the largest organization of Muslim countries in the world, this Sunday called on the 57 countries that make it up to respond “united and collectively” to prevent incidents such as the recent burning of a copy of the Koran in Stockholm are repeated.

Taha has denounced the “despicable” act committed precisely on the day of Eid al Adha, one of the main festivities of the Muslim calendar.

The OIC has held an emergency meeting this Sunday in response to the burning of the Muslim holy book in the Swedish capital and Taha has called for “an appropriate response”, to send “a clear message” after the burning because “it is not a mere and ordinary act of islamophobia”.

Thus, he has called for the “urgent application of International Law, which clearly prohibits any defense of hatred for religious reasons”, he has argued.

The telematic meeting was held in Jeddah at the request of the Saudi Presidency, as reported by the official news agency of the Arab kingdom, SPA.

“The meeting is scheduled to discuss measures against these despicable acts, to express a united position against the desecration of the Holy Quran,” the OIC said in a statement.

Although the burning was condemned by the Swedish Foreign Ministry, the Swedish Government recalled that the protest was authorized in obedience to the right to freedom of expression, as has happened on previous occasions.

However, the Muslim world has protested furiously at the incident, which also occurred and to make matters worse during the great Muslim festival of Eid al Adha.

The incident has had strong consequences for Sweden in the diplomatic field. Thousands of protesters tried to storm the headquarters of the Swedish mission in Iraq and, this same Sunday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry has decided to postpone the arrival of its new ambassador to the Scandinavian country. In addition, a boycott campaign against Swedish companies has begun to spread in several countries.