• Minister said freedom of expression should be a moral value that spreads respect and coexistence among people and not a tool to spread hatred

Arab News

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister called on Organization of Islamic Cooperation states to unite efforts in order to take practical and effective steps to confront recurring protests involving the desecration of the holy Qur’an.

Speaking at an extraordinary OIC meeting to address repeated incidents when copies of the holy Qur’an have been desecrated in Sweden and Denmark, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the organization is responsible for defending the values of tolerance and peace, protecting and spreading the true image of Islam, and rejecting and combating intolerance and extremism.

Prince Faisal highlighted the fact that efforts of OIC states in this regard resulted in the United Nations Human Rights Council adopting a resolution on July 12 in which it condemned and strongly rejected any advocacy and manifestation of religious hatred, including public and pre-meditated acts of desecration of the holy Qur’an.

The foreign minister said freedom of expression should be a moral value that spreads respect and coexistence among people and not a tool to spread hatred and clashes between cultures.

He also highlighted the need to spread values of tolerance and moderation, and reject all forms of practices that generate hatred, violence and extremism.

Prince Faisal renewed the Kingdom’s strong condemnation of Qur’an desecrating incidents, stressing that these provocative acts cannot be accepted under any justification.

OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha called on Sweden and Denmark to prevent Qur’an desecration and “expressed his disappointment that no measures were taken in this regard so far.”

“It is unfortunate that the concerned authorities claiming freedom of expression continue to provide licences to repeat these acts contrary to international law, and this leads to a lack of respect for religions,” Taha said in remarks during the meeting.

Earlier on Monday, more Qur’an burnings took place in Sweden and Denmark as the governments of the two Nordic countries said they were examining ways to legally limit such acts in a bid to de-escalate growing tensions with OIC countries.