Denmark studying legal measures to prevent Quran burning: Egyptian Foreign Ministry

By Gozde Bayar

Denmark is studying several measures and legislation to prevent the recurrence of Quran burning incidents, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Friday.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Rasmussen affirmed this in a phone call with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said in a statement.

Rasmussen told Shoukry that the recent incidents involving the burning and desecration of the Quran in Denmark were “regrettable and contradicted Denmark's societal values,” the statement added.

Reiterating Egypt’s strong condemnation of Quran burning, Shoukry said that such incidents provoke Muslims worldwide.

He also affirmed that these incidents violate human rights, threaten peaceful coexistence and fuel extremism.

On Tuesday, despite wide-ranging condemnation, members of the Islamophobic and extreme nationalist group called "Danske Patrioter" (Danish Patriots) burned a copy of the holy Quran in front of the Turkish Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital.

They also burned the Muslim holy book in front of the embassies of Iraq, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Denmark said Monday that it has noted the latest declaration by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) following a recent string of public desecrations of the Quran, saying it will continue close dialogue with the group’s member states.​​​​​​​

Recent months have seen repeated acts of Quran burning or desecration or attempts to do so by Islamophobic figures or groups, especially in northern European and Nordic countries.