'Egypt strongly condemns deliberate insult of Holy Quran by extremist rightists in Sweden': Foreign Ministry

CAIRO – 18 April 2022: "The Arab Republic of Egypt strongly condemns the deliberate insult of the Holy Quran by a group of extremist rightists in Sweden, which is a provocation of Muslims worldwide during the Holy Month of Ramadan," a press statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Monday reads.

The ministry noted that the incident at hand is "among the extremist rightist practices that incite against migrants in general and Muslims in specific."  

The statement added that Egypt refutes any offenses to religious basics and beliefs as well as any provocative practices that contradict human values and principles. The country also asserted the necessity of respecting others' right in religious freedom, which is one of the human rights.  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs concluded by calling for prioritizing tolerance, acceptance of the Other, and peaceful coexistence between peoples, while renouncing incitement, hatred, depredation, and provocations that can undermine the stability, security, and peace of societies.

According to the BBC, a far-right group announced plans to burn copies of the Quran so as Danish-Swedish Politician Rasmus Paludan organized a series of rallies that explicitly expressed such intention.

Paludan said he had burnt a copy of the Quran and that he wants to do it again. As a consequence, violent protests broke in the streets of Stockholm and Orebro on Friday, Malmo on Saturday, and Norrkoping on Sunday.

It is noted that Paludan served a prison sentence of one month in Denmark in 2020 because of string of offences including racism.  

Swedish police stated Monday that 26 police officers and 14 civilians had been injured in clashes and that more than 20 vehicles had been damaged or destroyed. 

However, the number of those suspected of committing violence is just 200, most of whom are known to the authorities as they belong to criminal gangs. The police added that over 40 individuals had been arrested during the riots.