Denmark Passes Law to Ban Quran Burnings

Facts

• Denmark's parliament approved legislation on Thursday prohibiting the burning of holy books, including the Quran, in public places.¹
• The bill, which criminalizes the 'inappropriate treatment' of significant religious texts, was passed with 94 votes in favor and 77 in opposition within the 179-seat Folketing.²
• Under the legislation, it will be forbidden to burn, tear, or defile sacred texts of 'a recognized religious community' publicly, or in videos premeditated to be shared extensively. Violators will face fines or up to two years in prison.³
• According to the Danish justice ministry, the law aims to combat 'systematic mockery,' which it claims has contributed to escalating terror threat levels in Denmark.⁴
• The move follows multiple incidents in Denmark and Sweden where alleged anti-Islam activists publicly desecrated the Quran, causing outrage in several Muslim countries and prompting calls to ban the practice.⁵
• While Sweden has ruled out sweeping changes to its freedom of speech laws, it's reportedly examining legal avenues to limit Quran desecrations and de-escalate tensions in Scandinavia.⁶

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²France 24, ³Dw.com, ⁴Associated Press, ⁵Reuters and ⁶Voice of america.

Narratives

• Left narrative, as provided by New York Times. There are multiple civilized ways to express opinions outside of the burning of holy books. People desecrating the Quran as a protest only want to provoke violence and harm Denmark's international reputation and interests. This new law balances the Nordic nation's deep-rooted commitment to free speech with the protection of Danish national security.
• Right narrative, as provided by Le monde.fr. This law will only have a marginal impact, as criticizing religion in other ways — including through works of art where a minor part consists of desecration — remains legal. The legislation is simply a product of 'political correctness,” designed to restrain the freedom of speech.
• Narrative C, as provided by Guardian. Though burning holy texts, including the Quran, is an unsavory act, it's a slippery slope between protecting marginalized groups and infringing upon freedom of speech. Europe doesn't possess blasphemy laws for a reason; Europe must continue to facilitate a free society, and allow residents to exercise their constitutional rights.

Predictions