2024-02-08T15:45:30+00:00
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/ The controversial Iraqi expatriate, Salwan Momika, announced on Thursday his refusal to leave Sweden, defying a decision by the Swedish Immigration Court to deport him from the country.
Alhurra website reported that Momika, who sparked widespread controversy last year after burning copies of the Qur’an, commented on the Swedish court’s decision in a post on the X platform, in which he wrote, “I am staying in Sweden despite all of you, and I challenge the Swedish Immigration Service and the court.”
He continued, “If you can hand me over to Iraq, do so, otherwise I will consider all your statements and decisions empty and meaningless.”
The Iraqi refugee’s comments came after the Stockholm Migration Court upheld the Migration Agency’s decision to deport him, according to the Swedish website DN.
Last October, the Swedish Migration Agency decided to cancel the residence permit of the famous Quran burner, due to incorrect information he provided in his application for a residence permit.
A spokesman for the Swedish Migration Agency told Reuters at the time that the authorities had decided to revoke his residence permit and deport him, adding that the reason for this was because “the man had provided false information regarding his application for residence.”
However, the spokesman said Sweden could not implement the deportation order because the man would face the risk of torture and inhumane treatment if sent to Iraq. “If the situation changes, he will be deported,” he added.
The Swedish Migration Agency said in July 2023 that it would re-examine the man’s residence permit.
“I will not leave Sweden. I will live and die in Sweden. The Swedish Migration Agency has made a huge mistake,” Momika told Swedish public broadcaster SVT following the decision.
Momika appealed the decision, before an immigration court upheld it this week.
Under the decision, Monica was granted a temporary residence permit as the Swedish Migration Agency assessed that he would be at risk of torture if deported to Iraq.
The temporary residence permit remains valid until April 16, 2024, after which a new examination will be conducted to see if he can be deported, according to the Swedish website.
Iraqi refugee in Sweden, Salwan Momika, angered the Islamic world in June 2023, when he burned the Qur’an in front of the largest mosque in Stockholm on the first day of Eid al-Adha, and followed it with similar incidents in the following weeks.
In August 2023, Sweden raised its terrorism alert to the second-highest level, warning of increased threats against Swedes at home and abroad, after the burning of Qurans sparked outrage in the Islamic world and threats from extremist groups.