Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan strongly condemned the burning of the Muslim holy book – the Quran – on the first day of the Islamic holiday of Qurban Bayram, also known as Eid al-Adha, in Sweden.
Fidan criticized Swedish authorities for allowing the provocative act.
"I condemn the despicable act committed in Sweden against our holy book, the Quran, on the first day of the Eid al-Adha!" Fidan's statement on Twitter read. "It is unacceptable to have these anti-Islamic acts permitted on the pretext of freedom of expression. To condone such heinous acts is complicity."
In the Swedish capital Stockholm, a person identified as Salwan Momika of Iraqi origin, burned the Quran under police protection in front of the Stockholm Mosque on Wednesday.
Momika, who came in front of the Stockholm Mosque in Medbargareplatsen under extensive police protection, threw the Quran on the ground, stepped on it, uttered insulting words against Islam and set it on fire despite the reaction of the people around.
The police posted security forces in Stockholm in front of the mosque to prevent any untoward incident in the face of the provocation on the first day of Eid al-Adha.
Mahmut Khalfi, President of the Stockholm Mosque Association, said that the provocation deeply upset Muslims. "Our Muslim members call us saying they are very hurt, worried and do not feel safe due to insults to their sacred values," Khalfi said.
Mikail Yüksel, Chairman of the Swedish Nyans Party, also condemned the provocation.
"While the Swedish government was working on the headscarf ban in schools, Muslims were deeply hurt by the burning of the Quran on Eid al-Adha. The Muslim community in Sweden expects support from Türkiye in the prevention of the burning of the Quran and fight against Islamophobia."
In February in Sweden, Momika wanted to burn the Quran in front of the Iraqi Embassy in Stockholm, while Chris Makoundout of African origin wanted to burn the Quran in front of Türkiye's Stockholm Embassy. The police did not allow these provocations for security reasons.
Momika and Makoundout took the police decision to court.
The Swedish Administrative Court, on the other hand, overturned the police's decision on April 4, arguing that "security risk concerns" were not enough to limit the right to demonstrate. Thereupon, the Stockholm police took the decision to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court approved this decision of the Administrative Court and lifted the police "ban on burning the Quran" on June 12.
