Denmark government to propose legislation banning Quran burnings: Justice minister

The Danish government, on Friday (August 25) said that they are preparing to propose bills that would make it illegal to burn copies of the Quran in public places after a string of desecrations of the holy book in the Scandinavian nation which has sparked outrage in Muslim countries.

In a press conference, Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said that the government will propose legislation that will prohibit the “inappropriate handling of objects with essential religious significance for a religious community.” 

He added, “The proposal will thus make it punishable to, for example, in public burn a Quran, Bible or Torah.” This also comes after Denmark recently ramped up security following backlash over a spate of Quran burnings in recent months.

Hummelgaard also called Quran burnings a “fundamentally contemptuous and unsympathetic act” that “harms Denmark and its interests”. In line with this, the proposed legislation will be included in chapter 12 of Denmark’s penal code, which covers national security. 

The Danish justice minister also said the main “motivation” for the ban is national security. This comes weeks after nearly a thousand protesters tried to march to the Danish embassy in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone. 

“We can’t continue to stand by with our arms crossed while several individuals do everything they can to provoke violent reactions,” said Hummelgaard. The Danish government has also rejected protests by the opposition parties which said that the proposed legislation would infringe on free speech.

“I fundamentally believe there are more civilised ways to express one’s views than burning things,” said the Danish justice minister. Once passed, the violation of the law would be punishable by fines or up to two years in prison, Hummelgaard said. 

Both Sweden and Denmark have ramped up border security after a series of Quran-burning protests and the backlash in early August and while Copenhagen ended the measure, on August 22, Stockholm continues to enforce it.

In July, Rasmussen said that the government would “find a legal tool” that would enable officials to prevent the burning of copies of the Quran. 

Similarly, Sweden is also examining ways to legally limit Quran desecrations and reduce tensions. Last week, Stockholm heightened its terror alert level to grade four on a scale of five after the Quran burnings made the country a “prioritised target,” said its security services. 

(With inputs from agencies) 



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