We strongly condemn the burning of the Quran, Islam’s holy book, by a Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist in the Swedish capital Stockholm.

Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the Stram Kurs (Hard Line) Party, under the protection of police and with permission from the government, burned a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on Saturday, prompting wide condemnation from the Arab and Islamic worlds.

We join them in condemning the actions of the far-right politician Rasmus Paludan of Sweden. His actions are a clear violation of human rights and human values. His despicable actions are disrespectful and insulting to all Muslims and should not be conflated with freedom of expression.

This is a provocative action that targets Muslims, insults their sacred values, and serves as a further example of the alarming level reached by Islamophobia and we ask the Swedish authorities to punish those behind this hate crime.