OIC suspends Sweden’s Special Envoy status

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) announced on Sunday that Sweden's Special Envoy status with the organization has been suspended.

According to an OIC statement, Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha was asked to consider actions against countries where the Holy Quran and Islamic symbols are desecrated, including possibly suspending the Special Envoy status, during the OIC Executive Committee's extraordinary meeting on July 2.

“The Secretary-General welcomed the measures taken by some Member States to protest against the repeated attacks on Islamic sanctities.

“He called on all Member States to take the sovereign decisions they deem appropriate to express their position condemning the granting by the Swedish authorities of licenses that enabled the repeated abuse of the sanctity of the Holy Qur’an and Islamic symbols, and to express the OIC states’ rejection of such disgraceful acts under the pretext of freedom of expression,” the statement said.

Taha also highlighted that the burning of Quran copies and other acts against Islamic figures and symbols are not “ordinary Islamophobia incidents.”

“He exhorted the international community to urgently implement international law, which clearly prohibits any advocacy of religious hatred,” the statement said.

He stressed the importance of adhering to the UN Human Rights Council's recently adopted resolution, which addresses the issue of "combating religious hatred that incites discrimination, hostility, or violence."

The OIC General Secretariat is preparing to call an emergency meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers to further discuss the situation and make any necessary decisions.