Denmark Passes Bill To Ban Quran Burning

Denmark’s parliament has passed legislation banning the Quran burning, the “inappropriate treatment” of religious texts, colloquially known as the Quran law, sparking debate and dissent among lawmakers.

A 94-77 vote approved the bill, imposing penalties of fines or up to two years in jail for offenders. The move comes in response to a series of Quran burning that triggered outrage in Muslim nations, leading to protests in Denmark and neighbouring Sweden.

Recent street demonstrations in both countries have raised security concerns in Scandinavia. The Folketing, Denmark’s 179-member parliament, witnessed heated debates during Thursday’s session, with many opposition MPs expressing reservations about the legislation.

Inger Stojberg, leader of the Denmark Democrats, criticized the bill, stating, “History will judge us harshly for this, and with good reason. What it all comes down to is whether we determine a restriction on freedom of speech, or whether it is dictated from the outside,” as reported by Reuters news agency.

The centre-right coalition government, led by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, argued that the bill would have a marginal impact, emphasizing that criticism of religion would remain legal, as reported by BBC News.

The legislative initiative follows the government’s response to 170 demonstrations, including Quran burnings outside foreign embassies, prompting Denmark’s PET intelligence service to issue warnings about an increased terrorist threat.

In August, when the proposed changes were introduced, ministers aimed to send a signal to the world. Meanwhile, Sweden, facing a similar situation to the Quran burning, has seen a worsening security situation, prompting consideration of a comparable bill by the government in Stockholm. Both Denmark and Sweden have previously abolished blasphemy laws. Stay updated with Get Top Trends and connect with the trendy world.