The State Duma, at its plenary session on Thursday, adopted a statement condemning the actions of Swedish authorities who allowed the Quran to be burned on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.
On June 28, a Quran-burning action took place in the center of Stockholm, Medborgarplatsen Square, with the permission of the police. Its organizer, Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old immigrant from Iraq, who had previously been refused a similar demonstration, tore pages from the Muslim holy book and set it on fire. Before burning it, he placed pork bacon on a copy of the book, a particularly offensive gesture to believers.
"The State Duma deputies strongly condemn yet another act of vandalism approved by Swedish authorities and urge them to take measures to prevent violations of rights and insults to the religious feelings of Muslims," the statement reads.
The text notes that such actions "create prerequisites for extremist manifestations and grossly violate goals and principles of the UN Charter."
Earlier, Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin had offered to prepare a statement. According to him, deputies should not stay away from this topic because European countries "encroach on the fundamental rights of citizens." "The rights of believers [are being violated on] a holiday for Muslims. This is unacceptable. <...> Is it acceptable that in enlightened Europe, as they consider themselves, such actions take place?" Volodin concluded.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: GR Stocks/Unsplash
Based on materials from TASS