Iraq
A woman holding up a copy of the Quran near Baghdad's Green Zone, on July 22, 2023 in protest of the burning of the Islamic holy book in Sweden and Denmark. Photo: Murtaja Lateef/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s foreign ministry on Monday condemned the burning of a copy of the Quran in front of the Iraqi embassy in Denmark’s Copenhagen for the second time in under a week, calling on the European Union to “quickly review” what it considers as freedom of expression.
Far-right group Danske Patrioter (Danish Patriots) on Monday published a video on social media depicting one of their members desecrating the Islamic holy book and burning the Iraqi flag in front of the Iraqi embassy. The group carried out a similar act on Friday, under the pretext of protesting the burning of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad.
The Iraqi foreign ministry said that the continuation of such acts threatens coexistence among communities, urging the international community to criminalize the acts and ensure respecting religious symbols and holy texts.
“The ministry calls on authorities in the EU to quickly review what is considered freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, and also calls for a clear collective stance to prevent such insults in front of buildings of Iraqi embassies on their lands,” the statement added.
Ahmed al-Sahaf, spokesperson for Iraq's foreign ministry, said in a later statement that the Danish diplomatic staff in Baghdad already left Iraq on Saturday.
The burning of the Quran on Friday angered supporters of Iraq’s powerful cleric Muqtada al-Sadr who clashed with the security forces early Saturday after trying to enter Baghdad’s highly-fortified Green Zone where most of the governmental institutions and foreign missions, including the Danish embassy, are located.
The Islamic holy book and the Iraqi flag have been desecrated at least twice in Sweden recently, taking the ire of Sadr supporters and the Iraqi government which on Thursday expelled the Swedish ambassador and recalled its charge d’affaires in Stockholm after the Swedish police once again greenlighted a protest for the burning of the Quran and Iraqi flag.
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