“The mentality that encourages the heinous attacks on the Holy Quran in Europe, by allowing them under the guise of freedom of expression, essentially darkens (Europe’s) own future,” said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He went on to say that racism and Islamophobia are spreading to “intolerable levels”.
— Unfortunately, populist politicians in many countries continue to play with fire by encouraging such dangerous trends.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi held up a Koran from the pulpit.
“The fire of disrespect will not overcome the divine truth,” said Raisi, whose appearance comes a year after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini sparked a widespread protest movement in Iran, which the regime has since tried to quell with violence, threats and the death penalty .
The Emir of Qatar said in his speech that actions that deliberately endanger the sanctity of others should not be seen as freedom of speech, adding that the Koran is too holy to be desecrated by a “senseless” person.
— I would tell my Muslim brothers that it is unthinkable for us to be distracted by an idiot or a biased person when it occurs to him to provoke us by burning the Holy Quran, said Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.