Denmark's parliament has passed a law that makes it illegal to publicly burn the Koran, a move aimed at mitigating tensions with Muslim nations following a series of Danish protests. These demonstrations involved the burning of Islam's holy book, sparking widespread outrage.

Throughout the year, both Denmark and Sweden witnessed a string of public protests in which anti-Islam activists burned or damaged copies of the Koran. This led to calls for Nordic governments to prohibit such practices.

Both Denmark and Sweden witnessed a number of public protests, with anti-Islam activists damaging or burning copies of the Koran. Subsequently, there were calls for Nordic governments to prohibit such practices.

According to Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard, over 500 demonstrations involving the burning of the Koran or flags have been registered since July. Hummelgaard emphasizes, "such demonstrations can harm Denmark's relations with other nations, our interests, and ultimately our safety."

In addressing these challenges, Denmark is navigating a delicate balance between constitutionally protected freedom of speech, including the right to criticize religion and national security. This effort is driven by concerns that Koran burnings could potentially trigger attacks by Islamists.

Domestic critics in Sweden and Denmark contend that any restrictions on criticizing religion, including the burning of Korans, erode hard-won liberal freedoms in the region. Inger Stojberg, leader of the anti-immigration Denmark Democrats party, expressed concern, stating, "history will judge us harshly for this, and with good reason." Stojberg emphasized the critical question of whether a limitation on freedom of speech is determined by them or dictated by external sources.

Denmark's centrist coalition government contends that the new rules will only marginally impact free speech, emphasizing that criticizing religion in other ways remains legal.

After a five-hour debate in parliament, 94 members voted in favour, while 77 voted against the new law. The government has stated that breaking this law will result in fines or up to two years in prison.

Meanwhile, Sweden is also exploring measures to prevent the burning of the Koran. They are considering whether police should consider national security when deciding on protest applications rather than opting for an outright ban.

Image source: Reuters