After a sequence of Holy Quran burnings in Scandinavia brought about an uproar in Muslim communities, Denmark on Thursday banned the “inappropriate remedy” of non secular texts in public locations.
Underneath a brand new legislation handed by Parliament, these convicted of the crime might be fined or sentenced to as much as two years in jail.
“The burning of the Holy Quran should cease,” Justice Minister Peter Hommelgaard, who launched the legislation, mentioned on Instagram on Thursday. “We should shield the safety of Denmark and the Danes.”
Desecration of the Qur’an is now prohibited whether or not in public or personal if the act is recorded and distributed.
Like Sweden, Denmark has struggled in current months to stability its deep dedication to freedom of expression with the outrage attributable to the burnings in Muslim-majority international locations, whose governments have condemned the acts. The governments of Sweden and Denmark mentioned the danger of terrorist assaults had risen in current months.
With anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment widespread, there have been greater than 500 demonstrations in Denmark in current months, Mr. Hammelgaard mentioned, together with some wherein the Holy Quran was burned.
A small group of nationalists in Denmark filmed themselves burning what they mentioned was the Qur’an, and a minimum of twice publicly desecrated the Qur’an in Sweden, which led to assaults on international locations’ embassies in Iraq and led to their diplomats being summoned by Iranian authorities.
Danish authorities mentioned that the burning operations put the nation in a tough diplomatic state of affairs, and that the federal government couldn’t stand idly by. They described the legislation as a focused intervention aimed toward defending the safety of Danes overseas and at residence.
A spokesman for the Average Get together, a part of the coalition authorities, mentioned: “The extent of terrorist risk towards Denmark is alarmingly excessive.” “This legislation was launched out of necessity, not want.”
However the measure got here below sharp criticism from opponents, together with the right-wing Liberal Alliance social gathering. Steven Larsen, a Liberal Alliance MP, mentioned throughout a heated debate in parliament on Thursday that the legislation was a product of “political correctness” and was “designed to limit freedom of expression and creative freedom.”
Larsen mentioned the motion was “nothing to be happy with.”
Nina Palesa Bond, a deputy decide on the Copenhagen District Court docket, additionally criticized the ban. He argues on social media They shield a textual content that “is used as a loss of life sentence for ladies, Jews and homosexuals in lots of international locations.”
Mr. Hammelgaard gave assurances that the brand new legislation doesn’t prohibit criticism of faith or satirical cartoons. However he mentioned that whereas loads of room must be allowed for spiritual criticism, “destroying books is just not a really sensible technique to criticize one thing you do not like.”
Niels Funke mentioned the Swedish authorities can also be investigating methods to forestall the burning of the Qur’an, together with increasing the present public order legislation that might enable police to disclaim a allow for an illustration on the grounds that it’d pose a risk to Sweden’s safety. An skilled on freedom of expression primarily based in Stockholm.
Christina Anderson Contributed to stories.
