ANKARA

Pope Francis has condemned the burning of Islam’s holy book, the Quran, in Sweden.

“Any book considered sacred by its authors must be respected out of respect for its believers,” the pope said in an interview with United Arab Emirates newspaper al-Ittihad, published on Monday.

"I feel angry and disgusted at these actions," he said.

"Freedom of speech should never be used as a means to despise others and allowing that is rejected and condemned," the pontiff added

Last week, a person identified as Salwan Momika burned a copy of the Muslim holy book under police protection in front of Stockholm Mosque in Sweden.

His provocative act was timed to coincide with Eid al-Adha, one of the major Islamic religious festivals celebrated by Muslims worldwide.

The act has elicited widespread condemnations from across the Islamic world, including Türkiye, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Senegal, Morocco and Mauritania.

In January, a far-right politician also set fire to a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Sweden.