Published: Less than 10 min ago
Rasmus Paludan’s Koran burning has led to large demonstrations all over the world.
Several countries condemn the burning – and Sweden.
– Death to the Swedish government, death to such politicians, shouted demonstrators in Afghanistan.
Rasmus Paludan’s Koran burning has led to protests all over the world and the governments of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey, Malaysia and Afghanistan have condemned the Koran burning and the Swedish government’s handling of the issue. Al-Azhar University in Cairo – the Sunni Muslim world’s foremost religious institution – is calling on Muslims worldwide to boycott Sweden.
Turkey
There have been protests for several days all over Turkey. Among other things outside the Swedish embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul where around 250 people gathered and where a portrait of Rasmus Paludan was burned, AP writes.
A sign had been put up in the window of the Swedish consulate that read: “We do not share the opinion of the book-burning idiot.”
Iraq
There have been large demonstrations outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad. On Monday, one police officer and seven protesters were injured. On the placards, the protesters demanded, among other things, that Sweden’s embassy be closed, write Daily Mail.
Yemen
Thousands gathered in the streets of Yemen’s Saada province. The governor of the province, Mohammed Jaber Awad, spoke at the demonstration and said, among other things, that the demonstration is part of a larger trend of anti-Muslim rhetoric and escalating Islamophobia in Europe and that he holds Sweden responsible for the results of “this blasphemous and illegal act” , writes the Iranian state channel Press TV.
Gaza
Teachers and students demonstrated outside the Al-Jalil school in Gaza city. They burned Swedish flags and held up Korans in protest against Paludan and Sweden, write Daily Mail.
Malaysia
Protests are planned for Friday outside the Swedish embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian police have warned that the protests lack permission, write Malay Mail.
The Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs writes in a statement:
“The Swedish government’s inability to stop this terrible and evil act despite several protests from various parties is completely unacceptable and could have serious repercussions on relations between Sweden and Muslims around the world.”
Pakistan
There have been protests in several Pakistani cities in recent days, including the capital Lahore, writes AFP.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, signed Twitter:
“No words are enough to adequately condemn the heinous act that a right-wing extremist in Sweden carried out when he desecrated the Holy Koran. Freedom of speech cannot be used to hurt the religious feelings of 1.5 billion Muslims in the world. This is unacceptable.”
Indonesia
The Indonesian government has summoned Sweden’s ambassador, Marina Berg, to officially complain about the handling of Paludan’s Koran burning, writes AFP. A date has not been set, but it will happen within a week, according to a spokesperson for Indonesia’s foreign ministry.
Afghanistan
There have been large demonstrations in the city of Khost, near the border with Pakistan.
– Death to the Swedish government, death to such politicians, the demonstrators are said to have shouted according to AFP’s correspondent.
In a statement from the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Swedish government is called on to “punish the perpetrator” and to stop “such disgusting and provocative anti-Islamic and anti-Muslim actions”.