UN's Alliance of Civilizations condemns burning of Quran in Sweden

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON - The high representative of the UN’s Alliance of Civilizations has unequivocally condemned the burning of Quran in Sweden.

Miguel Moratinos in a statement said "such vile act is disrespectful to Muslims who are celebrating the holy occasion of Eid Al-Adha," the festival of sacrifice.

Moratinos reiterated the importance of upholding the freedom of expression as a fundamental human right, but added that the "desecration of sacred books and places of worship as well as religious symbols is unacceptable and can lead to incitement of violence."

A person identified as Salwan Momika burned a copy of the Muslim holy book under police protection in front of a Stockholm mosque on Wednesday.

The extremist's provocative act was timed to coincide with Eid al-Adha, one of the major Islamic religious festivals celebrated by Muslims worldwide.

The act has elicited widespread condemnation from the Islamic world, including Türkiye, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Senegal, Morocco, and Mauritania.