Danish Parliament Passes Law to Prohibit Desecration of Religious Texts

The Danish parliament has passed a law banning the “improper treatment” of religious texts, effectively prohibiting the burning of the Quran. This comes after Islamic nations condemned repeated attacks on the holy Quran in Denmark over recent months and called for an end to such anti-Islamic practices.

The bill was passed with a majority of 94 votes in favor and 77 votes against in the 179-seat parliament.

The new law criminalizes the public burning, tearing, or desecration of religious texts that are of significant importance to recognized religious communities, whether in public spaces or widely shared video clips. Violators will face fines or up to two years in prison, with the law subject to review after three years of implementation.

The draft bill was first introduced at the end of August but was later amended following criticism that its initial version restricted freedom of expression and was difficult to enforce. Consequently, the law was revised to focus solely on religious texts, excluding other symbols of religious significance.

This measure follows growing anger in Islamic countries over incidents involving Quran burnings in Denmark and Sweden. On July 20, supporters of the Sadrist movement in Iraq stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad and set it on fire in response to two demonstrations in Stockholm, one of which involved the desecration of the Quran by an Iraqi refugee. Danish police also recorded 483 incidents of burning symbols or flags between July and October.

Commenting on the law, Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard stated, ” We must protect the security of Denmark and the Danes. Therefore, it is important that we now have better protection against the systematic insults we have seen for a long time”

It is worth noting that in July, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution condemning “calls or actions that express religious hatred,” including public acts targeting the Quran.

The resolution was supported by 28 countries, with calls for laws to criminalize such acts. Seven countries abstained from voting, while 12, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, voted against it.