Foreign Minister’s Special Representative for Cooperation to Promote Respect for the Right to Freedom of Religion and Foreign Ministry’s Ambassador-at-Large Gennady Askaldovich’s statement on the most recent Islamophobic provocation

An ugly and provocative attack by radicals against Islam took place in Stockholm on Saturday, January 21. Rasmus Paludan, leader of the far-right extremist Hard Line Party, known for his excesses, burned the sacred Muslim book, the Holy Quran, as a protest against Turkey's stance on a number of items on the international agenda. The act was perpetrated with the knowledge of Swedish law enforcement agencies who hid behind “freedom of speech.”

This is not the first radical act against Islam in Europe. At their public rallies, which are still legal in tolerant Europe, extremists have perpetrated several acts of vandalism against sacred books and images. Zero tolerance and the ignorance of radical thugs like this show the “civilised West’s” true attitude towards those who, in their own opinion, are not included in the caste of humans that are equal to them. However, this is nothing new for the Old World.

We have witnessed a lack of political principles and have seen a permissiveness that is covered by plausible words about “freedom of speech and self-expression” resulting in attempts to incite inter-religious hatred and to harm the feelings of believers, Muslims this time.

We condemn and reject such criminal acts. We call for taking action against these radicals.