Saudi to summon Swedish charge d’affaires over burning, desecration of Quran

Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday that it would summon the Swedish charge d’affaires in the country to condemn the burning and desecration of the Quran, calling on Stockholm to take action against those responsible.

The Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement that the Kingdom “strongly condemns and denounces the ongoing and irresponsible actions of the Swedish authorities by granting some extremists official permits authorizing them to burn and desecrate copies of the holy Quran.”

Saudi Arabia, the ministry said, considers this as an “act that systematically provokes the feelings of millions of Muslims worldwide.”

The Saudi protest note will call 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 Kingdom reiterated that it is against all actions that encourage religious hatred, the foreign ministry noted.

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.