Algeria announced on Monday (July 24th) that it had summoned the diplomatic representatives of Denmark and Sweden to protest against recent desecrations of the Koran in Copenhagen and Stockholm.
“Following the recurrence of incidents of burning and desecration of the Holy Quran in Copenhagen and Stockholm, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned, on Monday, the Danish Ambassador and the Chargé d’Affaires at the Swedish Embassy in Algeria to inform them of Algeria’s official protest”says a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Algiers also shared “his firm condemnation of these immoral and uncivil acts which target everything that is sacred to Muslims everywhere”according to the press release, noting that it was “brought to the attention of diplomats that such acts, by their appalling and despicable nature, do not in any way fall within the scope of freedom of expression, as falsely claimed by those who defend, advocate and benefit from them”.
Algeria urges Denmark and Sweden to “take all necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such acts, hated by all monotheistic religions, laws and international customs”. “These reprehensible acts, contrary to the values of tolerance and coexistence, are likely to rekindle hatred and fuel Islamophobia”the statement concludes.
Sweden was the target of major protests in Baghdad last week after two events in Stockholm to desecrate the Koran. Supporters of Moqtada Sadr burned down the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on Thursday, and the Iraqi government announced the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador. The instigator of the desecrations, Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee, had set fire to pages of the book at the end of June, before trampling it and tearing it to pieces on Thursday in the Swedish capital.
On Saturday, a new demonstration took place overnight in Baghdad following reports of another possible Quran desecration in Denmark. On Facebook, the far-right Danske Patrioter movement posted a video of a man apparently burning a Koran and stomping on an Iraqi flag. The Danish Foreign Ministry condemned “The Burning of the Koran”A “shameful act” And “provocative, which hurts many people”.