Newsletter Newsletters Events Events Podcasts Videos Africanews
Loader
Advertisement

Denmark passes law banning Quran burning

Followers of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr carry his portrait as they protest near Baghdad a day after an alleged burning of the Koran in Copenhagen in July
Followers of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr carry his portrait as they protest near Baghdad a day after an alleged burning of the Koran in Copenhagen in July Copyright  Murtaja LATEEF / AFP
Copyright Murtaja LATEEF / AFP
By Euronews with AFP
Published on Updated
Share this article Comments
Share this article Close Button

The move comes following several examples where the Muslim holy text was desecrated during the year.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Danish Parliament has adopted a law criminalising "inappropriate treatment" of texts with important religious significance. That means that they have effectively banned the burning of the Quran.

The move comes after a number of examples of people ‘desecrating’ the holy book of Islam which led to tensions between the nation and several Muslim countries over the summer.

After a debate which went on for almost four hours, the law was adopted on its third reading by 94 of the 179 members of Parliament.

It will now be prohibited to publicly burn, defile or kick any religious texts, with the aim of widely disseminating images of desecration. It will also be forbidden to tear, cut or stab the books.

Any offender found guilty of the crime will be liable to a sentence of two years imprisonment.

Denmark and its neighbour Sweden have recently caused anger within Muslim countries. In Iraq, for example, hundreds of demonstrators supporting the influential religious leader Moqtada al-Sadr attempted to march towards the Danish embassy in Baghdad at the end of July.

After this unrest, the Nordic nation briefly tightened its border controls, before resuming normal service on 22 August.

Go to accessibility shortcuts
Share this article Comments

Read more

Iraq orders expulsion of Sweden's ambassador in Baghdad over planned Koran-burning protest

European states vote against Quran burning UN resolution

Trump's words signal respect for Greenland's wishes, Danish defence minister says