Far-right politician known for burning Quran copies sentenced to prison in Sweden

LONDON

Rasmus Paludan, a far-right Danish-Swedish politician known for provoking Muslims' religious sentiments by burning copies of the Quran in Sweden, has been sentenced to four months in prison, local media reported on Tuesday.

A district court in Malmo has charged the far-right politician with two counts of incitement against an ethnic group and insult to Arabs and Africans during public gatherings in 2022 in Sweden, according to national broadcaster SVT Nyheter.

Paludan, the leader of the Danish political party Stram Kurs (Hard Line), is the first person in Sweden to be jailed or charged in connection with insulting Muslims by burning copies of the holy Quran in the Nordic country.

The politician had disrespected Muslims at the gatherings, and his actions cannot be justified as criticism of Islam or political campaign work, the district court said in its ruling.

Paludan's statements were only insulting to Muslims, the court's chairman, Chief Councilor Nicklas Soderberg, was quoted as saying by national broadcaster SVT Nyheter.

"It is permissible to publicly criticize, for example, Islam and even Muslims, but the contempt for a group of people must clearly not exceed the limits of a relevant and responsible discourse," Soderberg said.

The politician has denied any wrongdoings and intends to challenge the verdict, the broadcaster reported.

In April 2022, Paludan held a public meeting during which he burned copies of the Muslim holy book, triggering riots in the cities of Malmo, Landskrona, Linkoping, and Orebro.

According to the broadcaster, the politician made several statements during gatherings that the district prosecutor charged with inciting hatred against an ethnic group.

Paludan is also accused of racially motivated verbal attacks on Arabs and Africans at another public meeting held that same year.

The Quran burnings in Sweden and Denmark, which took place in summer 2023 under the pretext of free speech, have sparked angry protests in Muslim countries, including attacks on diplomatic missions.

As a result, Denmark adopted a law last December that makes it illegal to burn copies of the Quran in public places. Sweden however is still considering its legal options that would enable police to reject permits for demonstrations over national security concerns.

The Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) urged its members to take appropriate political and economic measures against Sweden, Denmark, and other countries that allow the burning of the Muslim holy book.

The OIC warned that it is necessary to put a stop to this act which is characterized as an “act of aggression that spreads hatred and contempt for religions and threatens global peace, security and harmony.”