What are Sweden, Denmark doing to stop Quran burnings?

A brewing diplomatic storm has Sweden and Denmark at its epicentre. Political tensions have risen since protesters in the two countries set copies of the Quran on fire in front of mosques and the embassies of significant Muslim-majority countries. Both nations have said that they were looking into methods to legally restrict such actions in an effort to defuse the situation. Let’s take a closer look. Also read: Explained: Can Sweden stop Quran burnings? Legally preventing Quran burnings Denmark’s foreign minister said on Sunday the government will seek to make it illegal to desecrate the Quran or other religious holy books in front of foreign embassies in the Nordic country, according to The Associated Press. Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said in an interview with the Danish public broadcaster DR 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 in the government that we will look at how, in very special situations, we can put an end to the mockery of other countries, which is in direct conflict with Danish interests and the safety of the Danes." [caption id=“attachment_12949732” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Protesters gather in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square, carrying Iraqi flags and images of influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr. AP[/caption] He added that the Cabinet of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is determined to find “a legal tool” to prohibit such acts without compromising freedom of expression, but he acknowledged that would not be easy. “There must be room for religious criticism, and we have no thoughts of reintroducing a blasphemy clause,” he told DR. “But when you stand up in front of a foreign embassy and burn a Quran or burn the Torah scroll in front of the Israeli embassy, it serves no other purpose than to mock.” In Sweden, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Sunday on Instagram that his government is analysing the legal situation regarding the desecration of the Quran and other holy books, given the animosity such acts are stirring up against Sweden. “We are in the most serious security policy situation since the Second World War,” Kristersson said. Banning protests Denmark is contemplating outlawing religious text-burning protests due to security and diplomatic reasons. While upholding the right to free speech is important, the Danish foreign ministry said that these demonstrations encourage radicals and represent a security risk, reported the news agency. Copenhagen is considering using the law to intervene in specific situations, including protests in front of embassies. The foreign ministry of Denmark said in a statement that it is looking into intervening in protests when “other countries, cultures, and religions are being insulted, and where this could have significant negative consequences for Denmark,” including security concerns. As a result of these demonstrations, Denmark “is being viewed as a country that facilitates insult and denigration of the cultures, religions, and traditions of other countries” in many areas of the world, it was stated. The prime minister of Sweden also declared the start of a similar procedure there. Enhancing border security Sweden plans to step up border controls and identity checks at crossing points as its security situation deteriorates during a Quran-burning crisis, according to AP. Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson said the measure is expected to be approved by his government on Thursday.

It is meant to prevent “people with very weak connections to Sweden” to come to the country “to commit crimes or to act in conflict with Swedish security interests,” he said at a news conference in Stockholm on Tuesday. Also read: How Muslim countries reacted to Quran burning in Sweden Free speech vs respect for religious liberty Both the Danish and Swedish governments are examining ways to limit such acts, achieve a balance between defending free speech and upholding the rights of religious communities. Free speech, according to the Danish government, is a basic principle, and any changes must be made “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.” The Swedish government reiterated that it would consider steps that would allow police to prevent the burning of holy texts in public if there was a clear threat to national security, but it has no plans to make significant modifications to the country’s free speech rules. “We stand up for the Swedish freedom of speech,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told a news conference on Tuesday. Large-scale revisions to the legislation governing free expression, according to Swedish PM Kristersson, are not anticipated. However, he said that “everything that is legal is not appropriate, it can be legal but still awful.” Freedom of speech is protected under Sweden’s constitution and police can only refuse a protest permit if “there have been serious public disturbances or a considerable danger for participants at a previous gathering of a similar kind,” according to  guidelines on the website for Swedish police authorities. Also read: Sweden sees another Quran-burning protest: Will this hurt its NATO bid? Threats to both the countries A Turkish woman working as a secretary at Sweden’s diplomatic mission in western Turkey’s Izmir region was attacked with a gun on Tuesday, gravely injuring her. This incident serves as an illustration of the kinds of dangers that the nation may face. The lone gunman, a Turkish citizen from the eastern province of Agri, was arrested shortly after the attack on Tuesday afternoon, according to a statement from the Izmir governor’s office. The statement described the assailant as “mentally impaired.” “Sweden’s general consul will travel to Izmir tomorrow to be informed of the situation and express her condolences,” said Sweden’s foreign ministry, adding it would, “not comment on threat scenarios against the foreign mission or which security measures are being taken, as that could counter the purpose of the measures.” [caption id=“attachment_12949752” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Iraqis burns the picture of Sweden’s prime Ulf Kristersson, during a protest in Tahrir Square, Thursday، July 20, 2023 in Baghdad, Iraq. The protest was in response to the burning of Quran in Sweden. AP[/caption] Last week, Sweden’s domestic security service warned that the security situation has worsened after the recent Quran burnings in the country and protests in the Muslim world, both of which negatively impacted the Nordic nation’s image. “I think it’s a serious situation where national Swedish interests are being threatened,” Kristersson said, adding that he remains in close contact with his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen on how “to stand up for the values of Denmark and Sweden.” “Everything that is legal is not appropriate. It can be lawful but still awful,” Kristersson said in reference to legislation in Sweden, which does not have a law specifically prohibiting the burning or desecration of the Quran or other religious texts. Speaking in Stockholm on 1 August, hours after two Iraqi men who had previously participated in such protests were allowed to light a Quran on fire outside the Swedish parliament, Swedish PM Kristersson warned such actions were “dragging Sweden into international conflicts.” He told the media that “as everyone knows, we have a complicated security situation, both in and around Sweden,” citing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and Sweden’s upcoming NATO application, which still needs Turkey and Hungary’s approval. Also read: Why Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif is calling for nationwide protests Rising Quran burning incidents Following anti-Islam riots where the Quran, the Muslim holy book, was destroyed or burned, upsetting Muslims all over the world, Denmark and Sweden suddenly found themselves in a global spotlight in recent weeks. According to AFP, two men set fire to a copy of the Quran on Monday in front of the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm, in a rally similar to previous events that provoked a diplomatic crisis between Sweden and the Muslim world. Smiling wryly, Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old Iraqi refugee, and Salwan Najem trampled on a copy of the Quran before setting fire to it, as they had done at the end of June in front of the Swedish capital’s largest mosque.

The rally went off peacefully, with a handful of counter-demonstrators chanting “Allahu-Akbar!”. Previously, the men had organised another rally on 20 July, in front of the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, during which they desecrated the sacred book of Islam without burning it. Both Momika and Najem have repeatedly stated that they want the Quran banned completely in the Nordic nation, which has broad free speech laws which make it possible for people to burn a Quran, Christian Bible or Jewish Talmud without it necessarily being a crime. The incident led to Sweden evacuating its embassy staff from Baghdad after the building was stormed and set fire to by protesters. Prior to that, outside of Iraq’s consulate in Copenhagen, two Danish far-right activists scorched and set a Quran on fire in a tin foil tray next to an Iraqi flag. On Monday, the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation held an emergency online meeting of its foreign ministers to discuss recent incidents in which the Islamic holy book was burned or otherwise defaced at protests in Sweden and Denmark. The Saudi Arabia-based organisation group urged its 57 member states to downgrade ties with countries that allow Quran burnings, including the recalling of ambassadors. With inputs from agencies