AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Ayatollah Ali Sistani in an official letter to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that respect for freedom of expression does not justify such a shameful behavior that is a clear violation of the sanctities of more than two billion Muslims.
Criticizing the Swedish government for allowing and supporting the sacrilege of the Holy Quran, Ayatollah Sistani said in the letter that was published on Thursday that such actions lead to the creation of a favorable environment for the promotion of extremist thoughts and wrong actions.
Ayatollah Sistani wrote that in the past few years, such disgraceful actions have repeatedly been seen in different countries, but this time, it is different because it has taken place with an official license from the Swedish police under the name of freedom of expression.
He also called for establishing the values of peaceful coexistence between followers of different religions based on respect for rights and mutual respect among all.
In a court-authorized act of sacrilege against the Muslim holy book, two men stood outside Stockholm Central Mosque on Wednesday and burned a copy of the Quran.
The move was made to coincide with the Muslim festivity of Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice), which marks the conclusion of the annual hajj pilgrimage.
Earlier on Thursday, spokesman of Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nasser Kanaani said in this regard, “Insulting heavenly scriptures is a manifestation of violence, hatred, and contrary to the fundamental values of human rights,” adding that the Iranian government and nation, like other Muslims and free thinkers around the world, “do not tolerate such insults.”
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