Dubai: The Qur’an burning in Sweden has drawn the “strong rejection” of the European Union, which referred to the conduct as “offensive, disrespectful, and a clear act of provocation.”
The European Union does not in any way endorse this act. The group stated in a statement that racism, xenophobia, and all forms of intolerance had no place in Europe.
The burning of the Qur’an was rendered even more abhorrent because Muslims were also commemorating Eid Al-Adha at the time, the group’s statement continued.
The EU still defends freedom of expression and the right to practise one’s religion or philosophy both at home and abroad. The EU urged people to unite in order to promote respect and understanding between people and stop any further escalation.
The group also stated that it was closely monitoring the situation in Iraq, where tens of thousands of protestors gathered on Friday in front of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad to call for the severance of diplomatic ties with Stockholm.
A few pages of the Qur’an were lit on fire in front of a mosque in Stockholm earlier this week by Salwan Momika, who escaped from Iraq to Sweden several years ago.
Despite receiving a permission from the police for the demonstration in accordance with free speech rights, he was accused of “agitation against an ethnic group.”
His deed has been widely condemned by the Muslim and Arab worlds, who have recalled their envoys and summoned the Swedish diplomats to seek an explanation and express their grievances.
The executive committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation has been called to an urgent meeting to consider the ramifications of the burning of a copy of the Qur’an in Sweden.