In all the Scandinavian countries, in recent years there have been several cases of markings with Koran burning, which has led to riots.
This has also led to anger and protests in several Muslim countries.
Now the Danish government has decided to propose a legal ban against the burning of religious scriptures in public places, writes Denmark’s radio.
Although it is the Koran burnings that have led to this debate, the bill also applies to other religious texts, such as the Bible.
Two years imprisonment
– These are senseless actions whose sole purpose is to create discord and hatred, says Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard.
He emphasizes that freedom of expression is still strong in Denmark, but that they have settled on this bill after an overall assessment.
– This will make it a criminal offense to, for example, burn the Koran or the Bible in a public place, or with the intention of spreading it to a larger circle, says Hummelgaard.
Penalties will range from fines to imprisonment for up to two years.
There have been large protests after Koran burnings in Copenhagen in recent years.
Photo: Philip Davali / AP / NTB
Increased terrorist threat
The Minister of Justice says it is not just the burning that they want to kill. Soiling and trampling could also be punishable, and so he wants a finer demarcation to be made by the court.
– Would it be inappropriate treatment of the Koran to wrap it in a rainbow flag as a protest against Muslim regimes’ treatment of homosexuals?
– I am not going to list what is inappropriate. We are going to give some examples, which will serve as guidelines for the courts, says Hummelgaard.
He goes on to say that satirical cartoons will not be affected by the bill.
The government has also been in contact with PET, the Danish security police. Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen says that the Koran burnings have led to an increase in the terrorist threat against Denmark.
– It is an important political signal that Denmark is sending to the rest of the world today, says Løkke Rasmussen.
Turn in the opposition
The opposition parties in the Danish parliament, popularly called Borgen, have been strongly against the bill, including the party Radikale Venstre.
– We have not had a desire to intervene until recently. But there have been over 100 Koran burnings in recent months, with the sole purpose of creating unrest and uncertainty, says Christian Friis Bach (RV).
However, there is no agreement among all in the opposition.
– I am shaken to my core. I think this bill is horrible and shameful that we allow ourselves to be ruled by Muslim dark men, says Mette Thiesen from the Danish People’s Party to B.T.
In a poll Epinion has created for DR and the Altinget, 57 per cent of those questioned say that they think it is a good idea to ban the burning of religious scriptures.
30 per cent believe it is not, while 13 per cent answered that they do not know. The survey was done before the government’s press conference on Friday.
Although many are both provoked and angry, it is legal to burn religious books in Norway.
With one caveat – that you own the book yourself.
– It is legal to hate the Koran, it is legal to hate the USA and it is legal to hate Sweden, and to set fire to Korans, flags or other things if you own them yourself and otherwise do not create a fire hazard, says lawyer and freedom of expression expert Anine Kierulf .
2023-08-25 09:37:14
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