The U.S. State Department condemned the act of a man tearing a copy of the Quran and setting it on fire in front of a mosque in Stockholm on the first day of Eid al-Adha, with the approval of the Swedish police. They emphasized that burning religious texts is harmful and demonstrates a lack of respect.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that disrespecting the Quran in Russia is a crime, in contrast to some other countries, according to Russia Today. He said, "Russia holds great respect for the Quran and for Muslims' religious sentiments, and disrespecting this holy book in Russia is a crime," noting that "this issue is not common in all countries." He added, "It is sacred to Muslims and others. We know that other countries act differently; they do not respect people's religious feelings and also claim that this is not a crime."
Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan condemned the burning of the Quran, writing on Twitter: "I condemn the despicable protest in Sweden against our sacred book on the first day of Eid al-Adha." He added that it is unacceptable to allow anti-Islam protests in the name of freedom of expression.
Jordan also condemned the burning of a copy of the Quran by extremists in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, through a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. The ministry deemed the burning of the Quran an incitement and a rejected act of racism. It stated, "The burning of the holy Quran is an act of serious hate, and a manifestation of Islamophobia that incites violence and insults religions. It cannot be considered a form of absolute freedom of expression," emphasizing the need to stop such irresponsible actions and to respect religious symbols, while ceasing acts and practices that fuel hate and discrimination.
