COPENHAGEN: Denmark has charged two individuals under a newly enacted law that bans the desecration of the Holy Quran, marking the first case since the legislation was passed. The accused, whose identities have not been disclosed, are alleged to have engaged in “inappropriate treatment of a Holy Quran” during a festival in June, which brought together people from various political, economic, and social sectors.
The prosecution has not provided detailed information on the specific actions of the accused, but they confirmed that the incident occurred publicly, was witnessed by many, and was streamed live on Facebook.
The legislation, which was adopted on December 7, 2023, and came into effect shortly thereafter, was introduced in response to a series of Quran burnings in Denmark and neighboring Sweden that sparked widespread outrage across the Muslim world. The law specifically prohibits burning, tearing, or publicly defiling holy texts, including in videos intended for widespread distribution.
Violators of this law face penalties, including fines or up to two years in prison.
As of January 22, Danish daily Politiken reported that police were investigating eight other potential violations of the new law.
