Danish govt to present draft bill that will outlaw desecration of holy books like Quran

Danish government on Friday said it will propose a law that would make it illegal to desecrate any holy book in Denmark, where a recent string of public desecrations of Quran by a handful of anti-Islam activists has sparked angry demonstrations in Muslim countries.

Denmark has been viewed as a country that facilitates insults and denigration of cultures, religions and tritions of or countries, government said.

center-right government seeks to extend Denmark’s existing ban on burning foreign flags by also “prohibiting improper treatment of objects of significant religious significance to a religious community,” Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said.

“ bill will make it punishable, for example, to burn Quran or Bible in public. It will only aim at actions in a public place or with intention of spreing in a wider circle,” Hummelgaard said. He said such acts would be punishable by fines or up to two years in prison.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has summoned charge d’affaires of Danish Embassy five times in past week to protest desecration of Quran in Denmark, according to Turkey’s state-run Anolu Agency.

Hummelgaard told a news conference that recent protests were “senseless taunts that have no or purpose than to create discord and hatred.”

Denmark’s government has repeatedly distanced itself from desecrations, but has insisted that freedom of expression is one of most important values in Danish society. It said that would not be affected by proposed law.

Freedom of expression is “a cornerstone of Danish democracy, and freedom to express oneself is a central value in Danish society,” Hummelgaard said. proposal is “a targeted intervention which does not change fact that freedom of expression must have a very bro framework in Denmark,” he said.

Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said re have been more than 170 protests, including many with Quran burnings, in front of embassies of Muslim countries, and that proposed change is “an important political signal that Denmark wants to send out to world.”

Last month, he said government would seek to legally prevent burnings of Quran or or religious scriptures, but ded that re must “be room for religious criticism” and that re were no plans to reintroduce a blasphemy clause that was repealed in 2017.

bill will be presented to lawmakers on Sept. 1 and will be “dealt with if necessary before end of parliamentary year,” which is before Christmas, Justice Ministry said.

bill will not cover verbal or written statements, including drawings, government said.

many Quran burnings have changed minds of at least one party outside government. center-left Social Liberal party that has seven seats in 179-seat parliament h been opposed to a tightening of law.

“But re have been over 100 Quran burnings over past few months with sole purpose of creating discord and uncertainty,” party spokesman Christian Friis Bach said. “We back proposal.”

In 2006, Denmark was at center of widespre anger in Muslim world after a newspaper posted 12 cartoons of Prophet Muhamm, including one wearing a bomb as a turban.

Muslims consider images of prophet to be sacrilegious and encouraging idolatry. images escalated into violent anti-Denmark protests by Muslims worldwide.