Denmark’s parliament has passed a law prohibiting the burning or desecration of the Koran, Islam’s holy book, as well as other religious scriptures. The text of the law generally criminalises the “inappropriate treatment of texts of significant religious importance to a recognised religious community.” The bill was passed with 94 MPs voting in favour, while 77 voted against, in the midst of protests by anti-Islamic activists in Denmark and Sweden, where copies of the Koran were burned or damaged, triggering an outraged reaction and protests from Muslims around the world. Those who break the new law risk a fine or even up to two years in prison. The law will come into force as soon as Queen Margaret II of Denmark signs it, a formality that is expected to arrive by the end of the month. According to the Ministry of Justice, the events in the streets that led to the passing of the law have contributed to an intensification of the threat of Islamist terrorism throughout Denmark, causing strong ethnic and religious tensions. Suffice it to say that in recent months hundreds of protesters attempted to storm the Danish embassy in Baghdad at the end of July, with demonstrations against the country also taking place in Turkey and other Islamic countries, with the Scandinavian country also in the crosshairs.
