JEDDAH – According to state media, Saudi Arabia has summoned a Danish diplomat to express its protest against the desecration of the Quran by an extreme-right group in Copenhagen.
The meeting took place on Thursday with the Danish charge d’affaires, during which Saudi foreign ministry officials delivered a protest note. The note urged an immediate end to these “disgraceful acts,” emphasizing that they violate not only religious teachings but also international laws and norms. Saudi Arabia strongly believes that such actions can fuel hatred between religions.
The incident that sparked this diplomatic action occurred when the far-right group Danske Patrioter posted a video showing a man desecrating and burning what appeared to be the Muslim holy book. This act, along with similar incidents in the past, has triggered anger in the Muslim world.
In addition to condemning the incident in Denmark, Saudi Arabia had also expressed its disapproval of a separate protest in Sweden. In that incident, an Iraqi refugee living in Sweden, Salwan Momika, burned pages of the Quran outside Stockholm’s main mosque, and later stepped on the Quran in another protest. While the book was not burned in the latter protest, it still caused outrage.
As a result of these incidents, Saudi Arabia and Iraq have jointly called for an extraordinary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), based in Jeddah. The meeting is expected to address the issue of Quran desecration in both Sweden and Denmark.
In response to the situation, Sweden’s foreign minister, Tobias Billstrom, reached out to the OIC’s secretary-general, Hissein Brahim Taha, expressing that Stockholm rejects any acts that insult the Quran and seeks to maintain good relations with OIC members.
Pakistan condemns Quran desecration, dishonouring of national flag in Denmark
