Denmark to legally ban Quran burning
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Danish government announced on Friday it would propose a law that bans the burning of Quran in public. The step came following anti-Islam activists burned Quran, Islam’s holy book, the matter sparked anger in many Muslim countries.
The government seeks to extend Denmark’s existing ban on burning foreign flags by also “prohibiting improper treatment of objects of significant religious significance to a religious community,” Danish Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard said.
“The bill will make it punishable, for example, to burn the Quran or the Bible in public,” he added, noting that such acts would be punishable by fines or up to two years in prison.
Denmark, along with Sweden, are the countries that witness incidents of burning Quran that infuriates the Muslims.
In a press conference, Hummelgaard pointed out that the recent protests were “senseless taunts that have no other purpose than to create discord and hatred.”
“Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of Danish democracy, and the freedom to express oneself is a central value in Danish society,” he told reports.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, said there have been more than 170 protests, including many with Quran burnings, in front of the embassies of Muslim countries, and that the proposed change is “an important political signal that Denmark wants to send out to the world.”