https://sputnikglobe.com/20230222/quran-the-only-religious-text-protected-from-burning-by-swedish-police-say-reports-1107686336.html
Quran The Only Religious Text Protected From Burning By Swedish Police, Say Reports
Quran The Only Religious Text Protected From Burning By Swedish Police, Say Reports
Sputnik International
Sweden's Quran-burning saga embodies the nation's dilemma between the quest to join NATO without losing face and staying true to its declared ideals such as freedom of speech.
2023-02-22T06:08+0000
2023-02-22T06:08+0000
2023-02-22T06:07+0000
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In the wake of the recent turmoil, Swedish police have begun to ban Quran burnings for safety reasons. Religious books other than the Quran are not covered by the ban, according to internal police documents obtained by the Swedish press.Last week, the Swedish police, in talks with the nation's Security Police, announced that from now on they will consistently deny applications for public gatherings where Quran-burning is planned. Although admitting that it constitutes a restriction of free speech, the police justified the move by citing a potential increase in the terrorist threat against the Nordic country.In recent weeks, Scandinavia saw a series of Quran-burnings (alongside several rejected applications), and Sweden's Security Police called this activity a threat to Swedish society, as perceived violations against Muslims and Islam constitute motives for attacks against Sweden and "Swedish interests abroad".Though the ban apparently covers the Quran alone, other holy books have been in focus recently as well.An Egyptian man recently applied to burn the Jewish Torah outside the Israeli embassy and a Bible on one of the squares in central Stockholm. However, he voluntarily withdrew his application before authorities had time to consider it.Swedish authorities made somewhat contradictory statements, appearing to stand up for freedom of expression and condemning religious hatred at the same time.Sweden's Quran ConundrumThe ban on Quran-burnings followed a massive outcry in the Muslim world, with Swedish flags being torched in several places in protest. At home, over the past weeks, Sweden was swept by a series of hack attacks and disruptions targeting numerous organizations ranging from the country's top universities, hospitals and regional administration offices to the national broadcaster SVT.A hacker group called Anonymous Sudan has already notably called for cyberattacks against Swedish authorities in protest against Quran-burnings in Stockholm and claimed responsibility for at least some of the disruption that hit the Nordic country.However, even more vital than terrorism warnings from Sweden's secret services, may be the country's application to join NATO which is now at stake, as Turkiye, the only alliance member openly to oppose Sweden's bid, specifically warned Stockholm that its goals will never be met as long as Qurans are allowed to be burned freely.Finland and Sweden filed a joint bid in May 2022 and intended to join NATO together, yet given Stockholm's recent run-ins with Ankara, there has been a growing feeling in Helsinki in favor of proceeding alone, as Turkiye has repeatedly said it has no objections to the Finnish bid.Sweden, by contrast, as well as previously admitted, seemingly insurmountable difficulties in talks with Turkiye, has been plagued by a row of scandals denigrating Turkish President Erdogan (including him being hung in effigy in Stockholm and ridiculed in a cartoon contest) and defacing the Quran. Among others, Danish-Swedish fringe Hard Line party leader Rasmus Paludan who made Quran-burning one of his key gimmicks, pledged to torch its copies "every Friday" until Sweden gets admitted to NATO, notoriously framing it as "a lesson in free speech for Erdogan".Stockholm's beleaguered NATO bid has become a tough issue for the Moderates-led minority government to handle, as it has to walk the tightrope of delivering on its promises without compromising Sweden's image abroad and making too glaring concessions to Ankara.Trying to juggle national interests with the commitment to free speech and the country's image as a bastion of human rights has landed the government in the crosshairs from left and right alike. The left-wing opposition claimed that Sweden effectively abandoned its humanitarian stance by complying with Turkiye's deportation demands and resuming arms exports it had halted as a matter of principle, whereas the government's right-wing allies, the Sweden Democrats, notoriously accused it of "groveling to dictatorial Islamism", with party leaders calling for "a hundred Qurans" to be burned, if necessary for the sake of free speech.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230220/finnish-mps-getting-ready-to-enter-nato-alone-despite-swedish-pms-warning-1107602680.html
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sweden's nato bid, religious freedom, free speech, nato expansion, defacing religious symbols, security interests
sweden's nato bid, religious freedom, free speech, nato expansion, defacing religious symbols, security interests
Quran The Only Religious Text Protected From Burning By Swedish Police, Say Reports
The lengthy political waltz around Quran-burning is a perfect illustration of Sweden's dilemma between the country's quest to join NATO without losing face and keeping its commitment to declared ideals such as freedom of speech.
In the wake of the recent turmoil, Swedish police have begun to ban Quran burnings for safety reasons. Religious books other than the Quran are not covered by the ban, according to internal police documents obtained by the Swedish press.
Last week, the Swedish police, in talks with the nation's Security Police, announced that from now on they will
consistently deny applications for public gatherings where Quran-burning is planned.
Although admitting that it constitutes a restriction of free speech, the police justified the move by citing a potential increase in the terrorist threat against the Nordic country.
In recent weeks, Scandinavia saw a series of Quran-burnings (alongside several rejected applications), and Sweden's Security Police called this activity a threat to Swedish society, as perceived violations against Muslims and Islam constitute motives for attacks against Sweden and "Swedish interests abroad".
Though the ban apparently covers the Quran alone, other holy books have been in focus recently as well.
An Egyptian man recently applied to burn the Jewish Torah outside the Israeli embassy and a Bible on one of the squares in central Stockholm. However, he voluntarily withdrew his application before authorities had time to consider it.
Swedish authorities made
somewhat contradictory statements, appearing to stand up for freedom of expression and condemning religious hatred at the same time.
The ban on Quran-burnings followed a massive outcry in the Muslim world, with Swedish flags being torched in several places in protest. At home, over the past weeks, Sweden was swept by a series of hack attacks and disruptions targeting numerous organizations ranging from the country's top universities, hospitals and regional administration offices to the national broadcaster SVT.
A hacker group called Anonymous Sudan has already notably called for cyberattacks against Swedish authorities in protest against Quran-burnings in Stockholm and claimed responsibility for at least some of the disruption that hit the Nordic country.
20 February 2023, 05:57 GMT
However, even more vital than terrorism warnings from Sweden's secret services, may be the country's application to join NATO which is now at stake, as Turkiye, the only alliance member openly to oppose Sweden's bid, specifically warned Stockholm that its goals will never be met as long as Qurans are allowed to be burned freely.
Finland and Sweden filed a joint bid in May 2022 and intended to join NATO together, yet given Stockholm's recent run-ins with Ankara, there has been a growing feeling in Helsinki in favor of proceeding alone, as Turkiye has repeatedly said it has no objections to the Finnish bid.
Sweden, by contrast, as well as previously admitted, seemingly insurmountable difficulties in talks with Turkiye, has been plagued by a row of scandals
denigrating Turkish President Erdogan (including him being hung in effigy in Stockholm and ridiculed in a cartoon contest) and defacing the Quran. Among others, Danish-Swedish fringe Hard Line party leader Rasmus Paludan who made Quran-burning one of his key gimmicks, pledged to torch its copies "every Friday" until Sweden gets admitted to NATO, notoriously framing it as "
a lesson in free speech for Erdogan".
Stockholm's beleaguered NATO bid has become a tough issue for the Moderates-led minority government to handle, as it has to walk the tightrope of delivering on its promises without compromising Sweden's image abroad and making too glaring concessions to Ankara.
Trying to juggle national interests with the commitment to free speech and the country's image as a bastion of human rights has landed the government in the crosshairs from left and right alike. The left-wing opposition claimed that Sweden effectively abandoned its humanitarian stance by complying with Turkiye's deportation demands and resuming arms exports it had halted as a matter of principle, whereas the government's right-wing allies, the Sweden Democrats, notoriously accused it of "
groveling to dictatorial Islamism", with party leaders calling for "a hundred Qurans" to be burned, if necessary for the sake of free speech.
