Egypt summons Danish ambassador, condemns burning of the Holy Quran
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Several incidents in Denmark and Sweden, in which authorities allowed for the burning of copies of the Holy Quran, led to state-level condemnation and action in several countries.
Far-right politician Rasmus Paludan holds up a copy of the Holy Quran which he later burned in front of a mosque in Copenhagen, Denmark, January 27, 2023 (AFP)
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Danish ambassador on Thursday after five residents of Denmark burned a copy of the Holy Quran in front of the Egyptian embassy in Copenhagen on Tuesday.
This incident marks the third of its kind in Denmark in less than a week, following similar events in Sweden, which outraged Muslims all over the world.
Ahmed Abu Zeid, the ministry's spokesperson, called for the authorities in Denmark, and other countries that have witnessed similar events, to take concrete actions to stop these unfortunate incidents once and for all."
A top Egyptian diplomat said that the events were "a despicable act that disrespects the beliefs of others and fuels animosity among followers of different religions and cultures."
#Iraqis protested outside the gates of the Green Zone amid tight security measures to condemn the burning of a copy of the Holy #Quran and the desecration of the Iraqi flag by a Danish far-right group.#Iraq pic.twitter.com/IhbmgpMz5o
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 22, 2023
On Monday, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the repeated burning of a copy of the Holy Quran outside the Iraqi embassy in Denmark, state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported.
In a statement, the Ministry underlined that it "condemns, in repeated and strict terms, the repeated burning of a copy of the Noble Quran in front of the building of the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in Denmark."
"These systematic actions allow the contagion of extremism and hatred to pose a real threat to peaceful coexistence," the statement stressed.
The ministry called on all authorities in the EU to "reconsider what is called freedom of expression and the right to protest," adding that "there should be a clear collective stance to prevent these offenses in front of the embassy buildings of the Republic of Iraq on their territories."
The Iraqi Ministry indicated that "silence and failure to take clear measures that prevent the perpetrators of these actions and hold them legally accountable have paved the way for rampant dangerous behavior."
"If the assessment about the Mossad being behind [the burning of the Quran] in Sweden is correct, we are before a precedent that will reoccur, and this requires a solid public and official stance," the Lebanese resistance chief, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stressed.#QuranBurning pic.twitter.com/M1YtXQy7PK
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 22, 2023
In Yemen, massive crowds rallied in the capital Sanaa on Monday as a resolute response to the heinous act of burning copies of the Holy Quran.
The demonstrators expressed their unwavering support for the sanctity of the Book of Muslims and all Islamic sacred values, firmly rejecting any form of disrespect toward them.
According to the march's statement, "Western governments have accepted for themselves to be a pliant tool in the hands of global Zionism seeking to spread all kinds of corruption in the world," stressing that the repeated arson crimes nullify all Western claims of "democracy and freedom of expression."
"It is not enough for the governments of Sweden and Denmark to stop issuing burning licenses," the statement continued, calling on the European governments to apologize to all Muslims and pledge not to grant permissions for the burning of the Holy Quran again.
The desecration of the Holy #Quran in #Sweden sparked widespread outrage and condemnation across the country and beyond.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 21, 2023
The recent incident, seen as a grave disrespect to the religious sentiments of millions of #Muslims around the world, triggered protests and calls for swift… pic.twitter.com/dcPiR1z2gJ
Read more: Reactions to Quran burning in Denmark, Sweden continue
