STOCKHOLM 

A Sweden appeals court of on Monday upheld a lower court striking down a ban on Quran burning, saying police had no legal grounds to block two Quran burning protests earlier this year. 

In a statement, the court said it upheld an administrative court ruling overturning a police decision to stop two demonstrations where protesters planned to burn the Quran, the Muslim holy book.

Police had no legal grounds to block two Quran burning gatherings, said the appeals court.

In February, police refused to grant permission to two Quran burning attempts, citing security concerns, after far-right Danish politician Rasmus Paludan burned a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm in January.

Later, two individuals who sought to stage provocative actions outside the Iraqi and Turkish embassies in Stockholm appealed the decision.

In April, the Stockholm Administrative Court reversed the decision, saying the security risks were insufficient to restrict the ability to demonstrate.

Since last year, soon after the beginning of the Ukraine war and subsequent security concerns, Sweden has sought to join the NATO alliance.

But longtime NATO member Türkiye objected over its own security concerns, including Swedish tolerance for terrorist groups which threaten Türkiye, as well as the country allowing provocative anti-Muslim and anti-Turkish actions under the pretext of “freedom of expression.”