Rabat –
Danish authorities have filed charges against two individuals for allegedly disrespecting the Quran. This marks the first case of its kind in the country’s history.
The charges were announced on Friday by the Public Prosecutor in Copenhagen, Anadolu Agency reported. The incident reportedly took place in June of last year during the People’s Festival on Bornholm Island, with the two individuals mistreating the Quran and sharing the act with a wider audience online.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the suspects mistreated the Quran in a tent and was witnessed by several people while being broadcast through a livestream on Facebook.
The case falls under Section 110e(2) of the Danish Criminal Code, which prohibits improper treatment of religious scriptures, added the report.
“It is our assessment that in connection with the event during the People’s Festival, improper treatment of a Quran took place, and that it happened in public, as it was attended by a number of people and also spread to a wider circle by being filmed and livestreamed via Facebook,” the prosecutor’s statement read.
Denmark’s Justice Minister approved the charges after reviewing the case. Public Prosecutor Lise-Lotte Nilas confirmed that the prosecution has requested a fine as punishment. The case has now been submitted to the Court of Bornholm, though a court date has not yet been set.
It is the first time Denark has invoked laws protecting religious texts, making it a significant development in the country, especially as it comes against the backdrop of similar Islamophobic acts in Europe in recent years.
For instance, Sweden has witnessed several acts of Quran desecration, usually involving high-profile cases where activists or far-right figures burning copies of Quran outside embassies or during protests.
Such incidents have led to widespread condemnation from Muslim-majority countries.
