COPENHAGEN: Denmark on Friday stated it plans to ban Quran burnings after a string of desecrations of Islam’s holy e book within the Scandinavian nation sparked anger in Muslim international locations.
Denmark stepped up safety earlier this month following the backlash, as did neighbouring Sweden which has additionally seen a spate of Quran burnings in current months.
The Danish authorities intends to “criminalise the improper treatment of objects of significant religious importance to a religious community,” Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard informed reporters.
He stated the proposed laws was aimed particularly at burnings and desecrations in public locations.
Hummelgaard stated Quran burnings have been a “fundamentally contemptuous and unsympathetic act” that “harm Denmark and its interests”.
The brand new laws can be included in chapter 12 of Denmark’s penal code, which covers nationwide safety.
Hummelgaard stated that nationwide safety was the principle “motivation” for the ban.
Almost a thousand protesters tried to march to the Danish embassy in Baghdad’s fortified Inexperienced Zone in late July, following a name by firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr.
“We can’t continue to stand by with our arms crossed while several individuals do everything they can to provoke violent reactions,” Hummelgaard stated.
Sweden and Denmark beefed up border controls in early August on account of the reactions. Denmark ended the measure on August 22, although they continue to be in place in Sweden.
The proposed Danish laws would additionally apply to desecrations of the Bible, the Torah or, for instance, a crucifix.
Those that break the legislation threat a positive or as much as two years in jail.
The legislation will nonetheless not embody “verbal or written expressions” offensive to non secular communities, together with caricatures, the justice minister stated.
He confused Denmark remained firmly dedicated to its freedom of expression legal guidelines, amid criticism from a number of opposition events who concern a ban would infringe on these.
– ‘Monumental anger’ – The ban, resulting from be introduced to parliament on September 1, comes six years after Denmark abolished its 334-year-old blasphemy legislation.
The invoice is anticipated to cross by way of parliament, the place the left-right authorities holds a majority.
Danish Overseas Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen stated Friday the Quran burnings had sparked “enormous anger in the entire world.”
“We have made great efforts to contain this anger. At the moment the situation is fairly calm, but it’s also uncertain and unpredictable,” he informed reporters.
He stated that within the “short term, we’ll probably see more Quran burnings rather than less” earlier than the brand new legislation goes into power.
In 2006, a wave of anti-Danish anger and violence erupted within the Muslim world following the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed.
Sweden final week heightened its terror alert stage to grade 4 on a scale of 5 after the Quran burnings made the nation a “prioritised target”, safety companies stated.
The Swedish authorities has condemned the desecrations of the Quran whereas upholding the nation’s constitutionally protected freedom of speech and meeting legal guidelines.
It has vowed to discover authorized technique of stopping protests involving the burning of holy texts in sure circumstances.