After repeated burning of Qur'an, Iraq urges Denmark to prevent offensive acts against Islam

Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has reaffirmed Baghdad’s condemnation of the recurring acts of desecration against the Holy Qur’an in Denmark, calling on the Danish government to prevent such heinous measures targeting Islamic sanctities.

Hussein made the call in a phone conversation with his Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen on Wednesday following repeated blasphemous moves by an extremist Danish group to burn a copy of the holy Muslim book in clear affront to Islam.

He expressed the Iraqi government and nation’s “condemnation and denunciation” over the burning and desecration of the Qur'an, reiterating, "Freedom of expression should not affect other freedoms and that such actions contradict human dignity and rights."

The top Iraqi diplomat called on "the Danish government to prevent the recurrence of these offensive and repeated acts against Islam and the Holy Qur'an, and to confront such provocative acts, which incite violence and fuel hatred, racism and extremism, and which cannot be included within the scope of freedoms."

Hussein underlined the need for security and safety of diplomatic missions in Baghdad, including the Danish mission, and as well as respect for freedom of expression in accordance with constitutional and legal standards.

He also welcomed a move by the United Nations General Assembly to encourage dialogue and tolerance between religions and cultures in confronting hate speech.

Danish group repeats Qur’an desecration, this time in front of Egyptian, Turkish embassies

An extremist Danish group has set fire to copies of the Holy Qur’an in front of the Egyptian and Turkish embassies in the Danish capital, Copenhagen.

The Danish foreign minister, for his part, expressed his country's condemnation of the blasphemous act, saying, “The Danish government strongly rejects such anti-Islamic acts, and that it does not support or condone in any way the anti-Islamic views expressed” during such incidents.

Rasmussen also renewed "the Danish government's commitment to protecting the Iraqi embassy in Copenhagen."

In another blasphemous act against the holy Muslim book on Tuesday, the ultra-nationalist “Danish Patriots” set fire to copies of the Qur’an in front of the Egyptian and Turkish embassies in the Danish capital.

The extremist group committed the sacrilegious act a day after two of its members desecrated a copy of the Holy Qur’an in front of the Iraqi embassy in Copenhagen, live streaming the action on Facebook.

Hundreds of Iraqi protesters attempt to storm Danish embassy over Qur’an burning

Hundreds of Iraqi protesters have attempted to storm the Danish embassy in Baghdad

The far-right Danish group had perpetrated a similar act of desecration last week, which was met with strong condemnation from the Iraqi nation and the Muslim community.

Over the past month, the Holy Qur’an has been subject to acts of desecration by extremist elements in separate incidents in Sweden and Denmark, which were perpetrated under the aegis of the respected governments.

The sacrilegious moves have drawn the ire of the whole Muslim community, prompting the summoning or expulsion of Swedish and Danish envoys from several Muslim-majority countries.

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