DIKSIA.COM - Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old Iraqi refugee in Sweden, recently burned copies of the Koran outside Stockholm's largest mosque during Eid al-Adha celebrations on Wednesday (6/28/2023).
The incident a month ago sparked outrage in Iraq.
Supporters of Iraq's influential Shia religious and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad.
Iraq expelled the Swedish ambassador shortly after protesters stormed the embassy in Baghdad and set fire to parts of the building.
They also called for the embassy to be burned down on Thursday (07/20/2023).
The protests have also provoked other demonstrations in Muslim-majority countries.
According to Al Jazeera, the following is a summary of a number of acts of burning copies of the Qur'an and international reactions:
1. June 28, 2023
– Momika waves two Swedish flags and plays the country's national anthem in front of Stockholm's Central Mosque on June 28, 2023.
Then he tore up a copy of the Koran and burned it.
– Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan criticized the incident.
Fidan said it was unacceptable to allow Islamophobic protests in the name of freedom of expression.
– The US Department of State (US) condemned the incident and called on Turkey to agree to Sweden's NATO membership bid.
2. June 29, 2023
– Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Sweden for the incident on Thursday (06/29/2023).
Erdogan said Ankara will never bow to a policy of provocation or threats.
“We will teach arrogant Westerners that insulting Muslims' sacred values is not freedom of expression,” he said.
– Iraq summoned the Swedish ambassador and called the act “racist” and “irresponsible”.
Hundreds of Iraqis stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after al-Sadr urged people to do so.
Baghdad described Sweden as “Islamophobic”.
– Morocco recalls its ambassador to Sweden to Rabat indefinitely.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco also called the Swedish representation in Rabat and expressed its “strong condemnation of this attack and its rejection of this unacceptable action”.
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