Following a series of incidents of burning the Quran in Denmark and Sweden, the Danish Parliament adopted a law to ban "inappropriate treatment" of religious texts. The bill passed on Thursday, December 7, 2023 with 94 votes in favor and 77 votes opposed in the 179-seat Danish Parliament. By virtue of the new law, offenders will be liable to a two-years of imprisonment and a fine.
Last August, some Danish ministers expressed their deep concern over Muslim groups holding about 170 demonstrations in front of foreign embassies within a matter of few weeks. Further, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) warned that incidents of burning the Qur'an have contributed to an increase in terror threats. As a consequence of similar repeated incidents, this warning has been echoed in Sweden where the government is proposing a similar bill.
On its part, Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism (AOCE) has previously warned that contempt of religions and burning of the Quran pose grave danger to the stability and security of the countries that witness these racist incidents. Racial discrimination, xenophobia, and all forms of intolerance are tools that fuel conflict and extremism. AOCE stresses the need for exerting huge efforts for countering hate speech and instrumentalization of religions to spread fear and terror in the hearts of innocent people. AOCE appreciates this legal approach that emphasizes the importance of respecting all religions and sanctities.