Qur’an desecration: Sweden, Denmark must end ‘cultural brutality’
Sweden and Denmark must end “cultural brutality,” says a senior Iranian diplomat in denunciation of the recent blasphemy against the holy Qur’an in the two European countries.
“Burning books, thoughts and ideologies is not tantamount to freedom, but translates into barbarism,” Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri-Kani said on Sunday.
According to Press TV, he said "The Swedish and Danish governments “shoulder the responsibility to stop cultural brutality in the two countries.”
Over the past month, the holy Muslim book has been subject to acts of desecration by extremist elements in three separate incidents in Sweden and Denmark, which were perpetrated on the authorization of the respected governments.
The sacrilege has ignited the ire of the whole Muslim community. Several countries have summoned or expelled Swedish and Danish ambassadors.
“Repetition of this crime in Europe is a clear example of violation of human rights by self-proclaimed human rights advocates,” the Iranian diplomat said.
In a message on Saturday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei called for the “severest punishment” for the perpetrator of the desecration in Stockholm.
“Effrontery to the sacred realm of the holy Qur’an in Sweden is a bitter, conspiratorial and dangerous incident. The severest punishment for the perpetrator of this crime is the consensus view of all Islamic scholars.”
Slamming European double standards
Also on Sunday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kan’ani censured certain European countries for double standards on freedom of speech.
In a post on his Twitter account, the Iranian official said, “If burning books means freedom of speech, then the dark ages (the Middle Ages) were the golden era of freedom in Europe.”
Tehran has already summoned the Swedish and Danish ambassadors to convey the Islamic Republic’s vehement protest with regard to the acts of desecration.
ME
