Sweden charges three men with hate crimes over burning of Quran

Swedish prosecutors have charged three people with inciting ethnic hatred over protests involving the burning of the Quran.

Salwan Momika, a Christian Iraqi, and Salwan Najem were charged on Wednesday with “agitation against an ethnic group” on four occasions in the summer of last year.

Swedish-Danish right-wing protester Rasmus Paludan was charged earlier this month over a 2022 protest in the southern city of Malmo, which included burning the Quran.

The incidents, which took place outside mosques in 2022 and last year, sparked outrage in Muslim countries and led to global demonstrations.

It is alleged the men charged on Wednesday “treated the Quran in a manner intended to express contempt for Muslims because of their faith,” senior prosecutor Anna Hankkio told The National.

“It is related to the burning of the Quran in Stockholm in 2023. We have charged Rasmus Paludan also for a similar incident in Malmo.

“The maximum penalty is two years' imprisonment. We are presently waiting for the court to set a date.”

Mr Momika and Mr Najem are accused of desecrating the Quran, including burning it, while making derogatory remarks about Muslims – in one case outside a mosque in Stockholm during Eid.

“In my opinion, the men's statements and actions fall under the provisions on agitation against an ethnic or national group and it is important that this matter is tried in court,” the prosecutor said.

Mr Paludan's actions led to Britain refusing him entry after he threatened to stage a similar act in the UK.

According to the indictment, evidence largely consists of video recordings of the events.

Relations between Sweden and several Middle Eastern countries were strained by their protests.

Iraqi protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad twice in July last year, starting fires within the compound on the second occasion.

In August last year, Sweden's intelligence service Sapo raised its threat level to four on a scale of five after the Quran burnings had made the country a “prioritised target”.

The Swedish government condemned the desecrations while noting the country's constitutionally protected freedom of speech and assembly laws.

In October last year, a Swedish court convicted a man of inciting ethnic hatred with a 2020 Quran burning, the first time the country's court system had tried the charge for desecrating Islam's holy book.

Prosecutors have previously said that under Swedish law, the burning of a Quran can be seen as being critical of the book and the religion, and thus be protected under free speech.

However, depending on the context and statements made, it can also be considered “agitation against an ethnic group”.

The incidents briefly jeopardised Sweden’s bid to join Nato – which it joined in January – after Turkey raised security concerns.

Last year the EU said Quran burning has “no place” in Europe.