Denmark plans to make burning the Quran a criminal offence, it announced on Friday, responding to a string of provocative protests that led to condemnation from the Muslim world and fears of terrorist reprisal in northern Europe.
A draft law would make it a crime to desecrate objects of particular “significance for a religious community”, also including the Bible and Torah.
This would be punishable by a fine or up to two years in prison.
Ministers said the recent spate of Quran burnings meant Denmark was “increasingly seen” as a country that “facilitates insult and denigration of other countries and religions”. The Organisation of Islamic Co-operation had asked Denmark and Sweden to stop the offensive stunts.
Danish intelligence said last week it had picked up warnings of reprisal from Al Qaeda, in what the government has called a period of “intensified terrorist threat”.
The incidents included right-wing activist Rasmus Paludan setting fire to the Quran outside a mosque in Copenhagen in January.
Last month, two protesters set it alight outside the Iraqi embassy in Denmark.
“These are insulting actions that damage the safety of Danes both abroad and at home,” Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said.
He said the bill was a “targeted intervention” that “does not change” Denmark's commitment to freedom of expression.
Law change
The proposed law would cover actions in a public place or “with the intention of spreading in a wider circle”, which could include social media if the audience is large enough.
It does not prohibit offensive writings or drawings.
The ban would extend to objects that are particularly sacred or significant, including holy books but not items of clothing.
Burning, tearing, kicking or trampling on the Quran would also be illegal. Throwing it in a bin could also be covered, if this is done in a mocking or derogatory way.
Police will be able to intervene if they become aware that such an act is planned.
Deputy Prime Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said the Quran-burning protests “serve no other purpose than to provoke for the sake of provocation”.
“This has put Denmark in a difficult foreign policy situation. And the government cannot just sit and watch that,” said Mr Ellemann-Jensen
Books should not be burned – they should be read.”
Sweden is considering whether to bring in a similar ban, after copies of the Quran were burned outside Iraq and Turkey's embassies, Stockholm's main mosque and the Swedish parliament.
Both governments have stressed that they do not support burning the Quran but police decisions to allow protests to go ahead have strained their relations with the Muslim world.
Sweden's embassy in Baghdad was attacked by protesters in one of several counter-demonstrations.
Ministers in Denmark plan to table the bill next month. The government and its supporters have a narrow majority in the 179-member parliament.
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
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Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
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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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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
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