Countries summon Sweden envoys to protest Quran desecration

Sweden’s ambassadors have been summoned by several Islamic countries to denounce the issuance of permits for protests where copies of the Quran were desecration in Stockholm.

The summons came in the wake of a protest organized on Thursday, where Swedish resident of Iraqi origin, Salwan Momika, kicked and tore up pages of the copy of the Quran in front of the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm for the second time.

On June 28, 37-year-old Momika burned a copy of the Quran in the presence of police in front of the Stockholm Mosque, on the occasion of Eid Al Adha.

Here are some of the reactions in response to recent events.

Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) summoned the Swedish charge d’affaires in Riyadh and handed them a protest note that includes the Kingdom’s request to the Swedish authorities to take all immediate and necessary measures to stop these disgraceful acts.

Qatar

Qatar condemned the attack on the copy of the Quran and denounced the recurrence of allowing such acts in Sweden.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement, “Following the continuation of these attacks on the Holy Quran and the sanctities of the true Islamic religion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces the summoning of Gautam S Bhattacharya, Sweden’s ambassador to the country.”

It indicated that he was handed a protest note “containing a request to the Swedish authorities to take all necessary measures to stop these disgraceful practices.”

Iran

Iran’s foreign ministry summoned Sweden’s ambassador in Tehran on Friday to “strongly protest against the desecration of the holy Quran.”

Iraq

Iraq’s prime minister ordered the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador from Iraq and the withdrawal of the Iraqi charge d’affaires from Sweden.