The Danish Parliament, the Folketinet, undertakes this Tuesday, November 14, the first reading of a bill aimed at prohibiting the Koran autodafés. This initiative comes after a series of profanations of the holy book of Islam, triggering tensions within several Muslim countries.
The bill proposes modifications to the penal code to criminalize “the fact of inappropriately dealing, publicly or with the intention of disseminating in a wider circle, a text having an important religious meaning for a recognized religious community”.
The project, initially introduced in August, has undergone changes in response to criticism of attacks on freedom of expression and concerns related to its implementation.
The Ministry of Justice has clarified that the text will focus specifically on the inappropriate treatment of religious writings. Originally, he covered the profanations of all significant religious objects.
Offenders will be exposed to a sentence of two years’ imprisonment. The Minister of Justice, Peter Hummelgaard, assures that these changes will make the law more understandable to the police and the courts.
After the first reading, the text will be examined in committee before two additional readings and a vote, a formality given the government majority in Parliament.
Between July 21 and October 24, 2023, the Danish national police identified 483 autodafés and burnt flags.
The Danish Chancellery justifies the law by highlighting the need to protect the national interests and security of the country.
Denmark, alongside Sweden, recently attracted the anger of several Muslim countries. Demonstrations took place in Iraq, temporarily leading to a strengthening of controls to Danish borders.
