U.N. Alliance of Civilizations criticizes desecration of Holy Quran in Sweden

UNITED NATIONS, July 1 (SABAH): The top official for the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), Miguel Moratinos, has unequivocally condemned the vile act of burning pages of the Holy Quran in front of a mosque in the center of Stockholm, Sweden, as Muslims were offering Eid al-Azha prayers.

In a statement, Moratinos, the UNAOC’s High Representative, said that such a ‘vile act’ is disrespectful to Muslims.”

The High Representative reiterated the importance of upholding the freedom of expression as a fundamental human right.

At the same time, he stressed that the desecration of sacred books and places of worship as well as religious symbols was unacceptable and can lead to incitement of violence.

The High Representative also reiterated that mutual respect was essential for building and promoting just, inclusive, and peaceful societies rooted in human rights and dignity for all.

In this context, the High Representative recalled the United Nations Plan of Action to safeguard religious sites led by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, which provides an overarching framework and a set of recommendations including strengthening religious pluralism and promoting mutual respect and human dignity.