OIC Condemns Quran Desecration in Sweden
In a statement on Sunday, it described the burning of a copy of the Quran as an “act of incitement and provocation” that “runs counter to global efforts to combat extremism and incitement to hatred based on religion and faith”.
A copy of the Quran was burned by supporters of racist Danish leader Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the anti-Islamic group Tight Direction (Stram Kurs), during a rally in Malmo on Friday.
The rally was marred by violence, which left several police officers injured. At least 10 people were arrested. Police also banned Paludan from entering Sweden for two years.
Meanwhile, the OIC Islamophobia Observatory, a body that monitors Islamophobic incidents across the world, welcomed the measures taken by the Swedish authorities against those who burned the Muslim Holy Book.
In a statement, the Observatory called on the Muslim community in Sweden “to exercise restraint and avoid violence”.
Also, Egypt’s Al-Azhar Islamic Center, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement and other Islamic bodies and groups condemned the desecration of the Quran, calling for measures to prevent the recurrence of such actions and efforts to avert the spread of Islamophobia.
