ISLAMABAD: The Danish government has announced its intentions to explore legal means of stopping protests involving the burning of holy texts in certain circumstances, citing security concerns following backlash over such incidents that saw the Holy Quran desecrated in Denmark and Sweden.
The government stated, “Noting that such protests played into the hands of extremists. We want to ‘explore’ intervening in situations where ‘other countries, cultures, and religions are being insulted. Also where this could have significant negative consequences for Denmark, not least with regard to security.” A statement from the foreign ministry mentioned this.
“This must of course be done within the framework of the constitutionally protected freedom of expression and in a manner that does not change the fact that freedom of expression in Denmark has a very broad scope.” It further added, stressing on the fact that it is one of the country’s most important values.
Several recent protests involving desecrations of the Holy Quran have cause a raise in the diplomatic tensions throughout the Middle East and the two Nordic countries.
The Danish government has observed that the protests have elevated to a level where many parts of the world across continents view Denmark as a country that facilitates the insult and denigration of the cultures, religions, and traditions of other nations.
The “primary purpose” of some of the actions had been to provoke and “could have significant consequences,” it further added.
A slew of Middle Eastern nations has summoned both Danish and Swedish envoys in response to the recent incidents.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated that he and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen are in close contact. A similar process is already underway in Sweden.
Kristersson said in a post to Instagram,“We have also started to analyse the legal situation already, in order to consider measures to strengthen our national security and the security of Swedes in Sweden and around the world.”
Saudi Arabia and Iraq have initiated a call for a meeting of the Jeddah-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The meeting is to address the desecration of the Holy Quran in both Sweden and Denmark.
