The Council for Interethnic Relations under the Federation Council issues statement in connection with the desecration of the holy book of Muslims, the Quran, in Stockholm

Islamabad - 8 August 2023 (Adnan Hameed): The Council for Interethnic Relations supports the attitude of Muslim states and religious communities towards this blasphemous act. The Council for Interethnic Relations and Interaction with Religious Associations under the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation issued a statement in connection with the desecration of the holy book of Muslims, the Quran, condoned by the authorities of the Kingdom of Sweden. The statement strongly condemns the act of vandalism against the holy book of Muslims, the Quran, in the city of Stockholm, Kingdom of Sweden. “It is all the more outrageous that it was committed with the consent of state and city authorities. This is not the first such monstrous incident in the Kingdom of Sweden, insulting the feelings of believers and grossly violating human rights and dignity. What is more, this time it happened on the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha.” “Senators of the Russian Federation have repeatedly stated their position regarding such facts, in particular, by condemning anti-Islamic actions in the Kingdom of Sweden and the Kingdom of the Netherlands at a meeting of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on 1 February 2023. On 4 February 2023, Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko assessed these actions, calling the desecration of the Quran a display of barbarism and xenophobia. The statement of the Federation Council in connection with the facts of violation of the rights of believers in Ukraine dated 29 March 2023 contains a strong condemnation of the act of desecration of the Holy Quran, as well,” the document says. “The Council for Interethnic Relations and Interaction with Religious Associations under the Federation Council supports the attitude of Muslim states and religious communities towards the blasphemous act committed in Stockholm, and the anti-Muslim position of the authorities of the Kingdom of Sweden and other countries of the collective West. The barbarity of the so-called civilized countries is unacceptable in a multipolar world order that meets the interests of the world majority, whose values and shrines the collective West today pits itself against. Acts of burning sacred books and religious shrines cause the righteous anger of believers. God cannot be mocked, but attempts to offend the feelings of believers violate their right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and incite inter-religious hatred,” the statement stresses. “It is obvious that the anti-Muslim position of the authorities of the Kingdom of Sweden is shared by the European Union and corresponds to “European values.” Thus, Western civilization once again challenges the entire Muslim world, which reacts with indignation to blasphemy against what is sacred,” the document says. The Council for Interethnic Relations and Interaction with Religious Associations called on the parliaments of foreign states and international parliamentary organisations to publicly condemn the actions of radicals and their patrons, and to take measures to protect the feelings of believers and their right to freedom of religion.