Danish-Swedish far-right politician goes on trial in Sweden for Quran burning

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON (AA) - Rasmus Paludan, a far-right Danish-Swedish politician known for burning copies of the Quran in Sweden, went on trial Monday, charged with incitement against an ethnic group, according to local media.

Paludan, leader of the Danish political party Stram Kurs (Hard Line), is the first person to face trial in Sweden for Quran burning in the country. The trial took place at a district court in Malmo, but the 42-year-old declined to appear in person, citing safety concerns if he traveled to the southern Swedish city. Instead, he participated via video link from an undisclosed location in Sweden.

According to national broadcaster SVT Nyheter, Paludan is facing two counts of incitement against an ethnic group and one count of insult, related to public gatherings held in Sweden in 2022. In April of that year, Paludan held a rally where he burned copies of the Quran, which led to riots in several cities, including Malmo, Landskrona, Linkoping, and Orebro. Prosecutors allege that statements he made during these gatherings constitute incitement against an ethnic group.

Paludan is also accused of racially motivated verbal attacks against Arabs and Africans at another public event in 2022, for which he faces a charge of insult. If convicted, he could serve up to six months in prison. Paludan denies all charges.

The Quran burnings in Sweden and Denmark, carried out in 2023 under the pretext of free speech, have provoked widespread protests in Muslim-majority countries, including attacks on diplomatic missions.

In response, Denmark passed a law in December making it illegal to burn copies of the Quran in public. Sweden, however, is still evaluating potential legal measures to empower police to deny demonstration permits on national security grounds.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has urged its member states to consider political and economic actions against Sweden, Denmark, and other countries where the Quran is permitted to be burned. The OIC characterized such acts as "aggressive actions that spread hatred and contempt for religions, threatening global peace, security, and harmony."