A woman holds a copy of the Quran during a protest outside the Swedish consulate in Istanbul on Sunday. Getty Images
A woman holds a copy of the Quran during a protest outside the Swedish consulate in Istanbul on Sunday. Getty Images
A woman holds a copy of the Quran during a protest outside the Swedish consulate in Istanbul on Sunday. Getty Images
A woman holds a copy of the Quran during a protest outside the Swedish consulate in Istanbul on Sunday. Getty Images

Denmark considers legal means to stop Quran-burning protests


Soraya Ebrahimi
  • English
  • Arabic

The Danish government on Sunday said security concerns after the backlash over Quran burnings has led it to explore legal means to stop protests involving the desecration of holy texts in certain circumstances.

The government said such protests played into the hands of extremists and it wanted to "explore" intervening in situations where "other countries, cultures and religions are being insulted, and where this could have significant negative consequences for Denmark, not least with regard to security".

"This must, of course, be done within the framework of the constitutionally protected freedom of expression and in a manner that does not change the fact that freedom of expression in Denmark has very broad scope," it said.

The government stressed that freedom of expression is still one of the country's most important values.

Several recent protests involving desecrations of the Quran have raised diplomatic tension throughout the Middle East, and in Denmark and Sweden.

The Danish government said the protests had "reached a level where Denmark, in many parts of the world across continents, is being viewed as a country that facilitates insult and denigration of the cultures, religions and traditions of other countries."

It said the "primary purpose" of some of the actions had been to provoke and "could have significant consequences".

Danish and Swedish envoys have been summoned in several Middle Eastern nations.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he had been in close contact with Danish premier Mette Frederiksen, and that a similar process was already under way in Sweden.

"We have also started to analyse the legal situation already … in order to consider measures to strengthen our national security and the security of Swedes in Sweden and around the world," Mr Kristersson said in a post to Instagram.

Protests in region against desecration of Quran in Sweden - in pictures

On Thursday, Sweden's government ordered 15 government bodies – including the armed forces, law enforcement and the tax agency – to strengthen the country's ability to prevent terrorism in response to a worsened security situation.

The announcement came a day after the government said the country had become the target of disinformation campaigns.

Saudi Arabia and Iraq have called for a meeting, expected to be held on Monday, of the Jeddah-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to address Quran desecration in Sweden and Denmark.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Sunday urged Sweden to take concrete steps to prevent burnings of the Quran, a Turkish Foreign Ministry source said.

In a phone call, Mr Fidan told Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom that continuation of such "vile actions" under the guise of freedom of expression was unacceptable, the source said.

Mr Fidan and Mr Billstrom also discussed Sweden's Nato military alliance membership application, the source said.

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  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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The biog:

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Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

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Based: Dubai

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2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Funding stage: Pre-seed funding of Dh1.5m in 2017 and an initial seed round of Dh2m in 2019

Investors: Friends and family 

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UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

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Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

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Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

 

 

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

What is 'Soft Power'?

Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye. 
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength. 
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force. 
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.

New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24

New Zealand
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British & Irish Lions
Tries: Faletau, Murray
Penalties: Farrell (4)
Conversions: Farrell 
 

GOLF’S RAHMBO

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The Breadwinner

Director: Nora Twomey

Starring: Saara Chaudry,  Soma Chhaya,  Laara Sadiq 

Three stars

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Updated: July 31, 2023, 9:03 AM`