Saudi Arabia summons Swedish charge d’affaires over burning, desecration of Quran

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry has summoned the Swedish charge d’affaires in the country to condemn the burning and desecration of the Quran, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Friday.

The ministry handed him a protest note calling on the Swedish authorities “to take immediate and necessary measures to stop these disgraceful acts, which violate all religious teachings, international laws and norms.”

The ministry also reaffirmed the Kingdom’s rejection of all actions that encourage religious hatred.

Anti-Islam protesters, one of whom is an Iraqi immigrant to Sweden who burned the Quran outside a Stockholm mosque in June, applied for and received permission from Swedish police to burn the Quran outside the Iraqi Embassy on Thursday.

In the event, the protesters kicked and partially destroyed a book they said was the Quran but left the area after one hour without setting it alight.

The recent public display of Quran burning drew criticism from many, including major Muslim states that pushed the United Nations Human Rights Council’s to adopt a resolution that denounces religious hatred last week.

The resolution “Countering religious hatred constituting incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence,” was championed by the Kingdom upon its adoption.