Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Legislation
  • War On Terror
  • EU Affairs
  • Elections
  • News Analysis

Türkiye urges Denmark to take action against desecration of Quran

by Daily Sabah with Agencies

istanbul Jul 29, 2023 - 5:44 pm GMT+3
Police patrol the area in front of a mosque at Noerrebro, where Danish far-right politician Rasmus Paludan has announced that he will burn a copy of the Quran, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Friday, Jan. 27, 2023. (Reuters File Photo)
Police patrol the area in front of a mosque at Noerrebro, where Danish far-right politician Rasmus Paludan has announced that he will burn a copy of the Quran, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Friday, Jan. 27, 2023. (Reuters File Photo)
by Daily Sabah with Agencies Jul 29, 2023 5:44 pm

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called on Denmark to take urgent action to prevent Quran burnings amid repeated provocative attacks, as he condemned the "continuous vile attacks" in a phone call with his Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen.

Noting that anti-Muslim hatred has reached alarming levels in Europe, Fidan said it is unacceptable that Danish authorities permit such "vile acts" under the name of freedom of expression.

Fidan said Türkiye expects the Danish government to take immediate action to prevent such attacks.

Rasmussen on Saturday wrote on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter: "Turkey and Denmark are close allies. Important to not let these acts succeed in creating division." He also reiterated Denmark's "strong condemnation of these provocative acts by few individuals."

Copies of the Quran have been burned at several demonstrations in Sweden and Denmark this summer, causing outrage among Muslims and prompting protesters to storm and vandalize the Swedish embassy in Baghdad.

Denmark and Sweden have said they deplore the burning of the Quran but cannot prevent it under rules protecting free speech.

Türkiye, which holds a veto over Swedish NATO membership, has condemned the protests and called on Stockholm to take action against the perpetrators.

Earlier on Wednesday, Sweden's security service, SAPO, warned that Sweden's security situation had worsened due to the recent controversy over freedom of speech.

"The image of Sweden has changed. We have gone from being seen as a tolerant country to being a land that is anti-Muslim – that's how we are seen ... mainly the Muslim parts of the world," Susanna Trehorning, Deputy Head of the Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Subversion Unit at SAPO, told Swedish state broadcaster SVT.

However, Sweden's security-alert level has not been changed and is currently at three on a scale of five, indicating "heightened risk." Five is the highest level of threat.

Islamophobic actions carried out by small groups in Sweden and Denmark, in which Quran editions were burned, have recently led to angry protests in several Muslim countries.

Reactions were particularly strong in Iraq, whose government expelled the Swedish ambassador. Earlier, demonstrators in Baghdad broke into the Swedish embassy and set fire to it.

On Monday, the Swedish radio station SVT reported that the person responsible had canceled a Quran burning announced for Saturday. However, further actions were planned.

  • shortlink copied
  • KEYWORDS
    quran burnings denmark hakan fidan lars lokke rasmussen türkiye-denmark relations
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Reopened after restoration, Istanbul’s Galata Tower attracts visitors
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021