The Danish government on Friday introduced a bill to ban the burning of the Quran, following unrest in several Muslim countries over desecrations of Islam's holy book on its soil.
The law will "prohibit the inappropriate treatment of objects of significant religious significance to a religious community," Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard told a press briefing, specifying that this included burning or trampling such objects in public places.
Several recent demonstrations in Denmark and Sweden, involving the burning or other desecration of the Quran, have raised diplomatic tensions between Denmark and Sweden, on one hand, and a number of countries in the Middle East, on the other.
As previously reported, the Swedish government published a week ago the directives for an inquiry to review the public order act and the possibility to limit public gatherings and demonstrations that might pose a threat to its security. However, the issue of the Quran burnings that are taking place in Sweden was excluded from the directives.
Sweden has also recently reviewed its legislation against incitement to violence and hatred and proposed legislative amendments to address loopholes in the implementation of the EU Framework Decision against racism and xenophobia. According to the proposal, the amendments would not prohibit any acts that are currently permitted such as Quran burnings.
The Swedish minister of justice, Gunnar Strömmer, said at press briefing on Friday that he was not surprised about the Danish decision but that Sweden did not intend to change course.
With the Danish decision to legislate against Quran burnings, Sweden risks becoming the only country in the EU which continues to allow them, under pressure of the far-right Sweden Democrats. The main opposition party, the Social Democrats, fears that Sweden will become more exposed to terrorist threats if Denmark will change its legislation and is reportedly considering a ban.
