Newsnomics AJAY ANGELINA reporter
The Swedish and Denmark governments decided to consider banning the anti-Islamic act of burning Quran, the holy book of Islam, as the tensions between the two countries are rising, with Islamic countries taking a joint response.
Sweden and Denmark both have strong freedom of speech laws, and authorities had given permission for the protests in advance but the incidents of burning Quran have sparked angry protests and have threatened a diplomatic crisis between the two countries and the Muslim world.
The Swedish Prime Minister Wolf Christersson said on 1st August that outsiders are "using the Swedish stage for spreading hate messages" by abusing laws guaranteeing freedom of expression”, added “such actions are embroiling Sweden in an international conflict “reported by the British daily Guardian.
Denmark's foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said that the burning of holy scriptures "only serves the purpose of creating division in a world that actually needs unity".
"That is why we have decided to look at how, in very special situations, we can put an end to mockery of other countries, which is in direct conflict with Danish interests and the safety of the Danes," reported by the Danish public broadcaster DR.
The remarks, attributing foreigners for the conflict with the Islamic State, came after two Iraqis protested the day before by burning the Quran in a square near the Swedish parliament without being stopped by the police.
Anti-Muslim protests have continued since the end of June, including a protest burning a Quran in front of the Saudi Arabian embassy in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, on the same day.
As anti-Islam protests continued in the Sweden and Denmark, the Organization for Islamic Cooperation(OIC) called an emergency meeting and demanded active countermeasures from the two countries on July 31, 2023.
"It deplores the repeated acts of profanation and deeply regrets that Sweden and Denmark have not taken steps to stop these acts “said the OIC after the meeting.
The organization also urged its 57 member states to "take any action they deem appropriate," including recalling ambassadors from the two countries.
As the Islamic State moves to respond collectively, the Swedish government is making every effort to prevent diplomatic conflict by sending letters to all members of the Islamic Cooperation Organization.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he was in “close dialogue” with his Danish counterpart over the weekend and that the two nations “share the same analysis: The situation is dangerous and measures are needed to strengthen our resilience.”
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Wilström explained, “he has sent a letter explaining his country's right to freedom of assembly and condemning Islamophobia.”
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Löke Rasmussen also said in a post on social media that “he would continue dialogue with members of the Islamic Cooperation Organization.”
The governments of Sweden and Denmark are considering banning acts that incite religious conflicts by law to calm the situation, but they are facing backlash at home for suppressing freedom of expression.
The Financial Times, a British business magazine, reported that even among legal experts, opinions are divided over how far to limit the burning of religious scriptures.
