Criticized, Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom Says Sweden Is Trying To Change The Law To Prevent Blasphemy To The Qur'an

Illustration - Al-Quran (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom stressed that the government is trying to change the law to prevent blasphemy against the Koran in the future. However, insulting the Qur'an is despicable. This was conveyed by Billstrom to his Algerian partner, Ahmed Atlaf by telephone. During the conversation between the two, Billstrom referred to constitutional restrictions that limited his government's efforts to prevent such actions while regretting the move. "We are trying to make sure the blasphemy against the Quran does not happen again," said Billstrom, quoted from Anadolu, Wednesday, July 26. Billstrom also explained to Atlaf about the initiative taken by Sweden's Ministry of Justice to evaluate the possibility of adopting laws that maintain public order to address the unacceptable treatment. Last week, Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old Iraqi refugee living in Sweden, stepped on and kicked the Koran, just weeks after burning a few pages of the Muslim holy book in front of the Stockholm mosque. Earlier in January, Rasmus Paludan, Denmark's far-right leader, burned the holy book Al Quran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, an incident that sparked outrage and condemnation from Islamic countries around the world.

Following these incidents, anti-Swedish protests broke out in several cities in Lebanon. Sweden's ambassador to the country Ann Dismorr, reportedly left Lebanon for a planned holiday.