Denmark’s parliament, the Folketing, has approved a new law criminalizing the “inappropriate treatment” of religious texts, effectively putting an end to Quran burnings following a series of desecrations over the summer that sparked outrage in Muslim-majority countries. The bill, which bans the “inappropriate treatment of writings with significant religious importance for a recognized religious community,” received 94 votes in favor and 77 against in the 179-seat Folketing.
Breaking this law will result in fines or imprisonment for up to two years, as confirmed by the government. Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard emphasized the need to protect Denmark and its citizens, stating, “We must protect the security of Denmark and the Danes. Therefore, it is important that we now have better protection against the systematic insults we have seen for a long time.”
Hummelgaard pointed out that over 500 demonstrations, involving burnings of the Holy Quran or flags, were registered since July. He highlighted the potential harm such actions could cause to Denmark’s relations with other nations, its interests, and ultimately its safety.
Practically, the law prohibits the public burning, tearing, or other forms of defilement of holy texts, whether in physical demonstrations or in videos intended for widespread dissemination. The move comes in response to heightened tensions over the summer when Denmark and neighboring Sweden faced protests and Quran burnings that drew condemnation from various Muslim countries.
Recall that in late July, nearly a thousand protesters attempted to march to the Danish embassy in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone following a call by cleric Moqtada Sadr. Denmark responded to the security concerns by temporarily tightening border controls, which were later normalized on August 22.
National police figures indicate that between July 21 and October 24 this year, Denmark recorded 483 incidents of book burnings or flag burnings. Meanwhile, Sweden is contemplating measures to prevent Quran burnings but is considering whether national security considerations should guide police decisions on protest applications instead of an outright ban.
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