The secretary-general of the pan-Arab organization, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, criticized the Swedish authorities’ admission of this fact, saying it was an “unacceptable provocation of the feelings of Muslims around the world”.
The official warned in a statement about the consequences of such actions, as they only contribute to the spread of extremism discourse.
After receiving police approval, Salwan Momika, a refugee living in Sweden, trampled on the holy book on Thursday, almost a month after burning it outside Stockholm’s largest mosque.
These events unleashed a wave of resentment in Arab countries, with threats of reprisals.
Yesterday the Iraqi government expelled the Swedish ambassador in Baghdad, after which numerous people stormed the diplomatic compound.
Egypt, in turn, condemned the new desecration, saying such incidents were a “blatant violation that goes beyond the limits of freedom of expression”.
The State Department expressed its deep concern at this contempt for religion, the spread of Islamophobia and the increase in hate speech.
Last January, Rasmus Paludan, leader of the far-right Danish political party Hard Line, also burned a copy of the holy book in the Swedish capital.
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