Denmark wants to make it illegal to profane the Koran, the Bible and other holy books
The Danish government is about to propose a law that will make it illegal to desecrate any holy book in Denmark.
This comes after a series of public desecrations of the Koran by some anti-Islam activists sparked outbursts of anger in Muslim countries.
Denmark has been seen as a country that facilitates the insult and denigration of other countries' cultures, religions and traditions, the government said, because it allowed these fires.
The government's proposal is to extend Denmark's existing ban on burning foreign flags, "also prohibiting the improper treatment of objects of significant religious significance to a religious community," said Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard.
“The bill will make it punishable, for example, to burn the Koran or the Bible in public. It will only be actions done in a public place or with the intention of spreading to a wider circle ,” Hummelgaard said, adding that the offense would be punishable by fines or up to two years in prison.
Hummelgaard told a press conference that the recent protests were "senseless provocations that have no other purpose than to create discord and hatred".
The Danish government has repeatedly distanced itself from the desecrations, but has insisted that freedom of expression is one of the most important values of Danish society. He stated that the proposed law will not affect this right.
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said "this is an important political signal that Denmark wants to send to the world".
Last month he said the government would try to legally prevent the burning of the Koran or other religious scriptures, saying they "only serve to create division in a world that really needs unity".
He added that there must be "room for religious criticism" and that the reintroduction of the blasphemy clause, repealed in 2017, is not foreseen.
It is not clear when the proposal will be presented to the Folketing, the Danish parliament, which has 179 seats. The three parties in the ruling coalition control 88 seats and are also supported by the four lawmakers representing the semi-independent Danish territories of Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
We recall that the public burningof the Koran in Sweden has sparked strong protests in Muslim countries and even foreign policy by Turkey.
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The article Denmark wants to make it illegal to profane the Koran, the Bible and other holy books comes from Scenari Economics .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/la-danimarca-vuole-rendere-illegale-profanare-il-corano-la-bibbia-e-gli-altri-libri-sacri/ on Sun, 27 Aug 2023 07:00:31 +0000.