ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Friday called the breaching of the country’s embassy in Baghdad “unacceptable”, urging calm and reflection in Sweden following the burning of a copy of the Quran in Stockholm.
Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika, 37, stomped on and burnt pages of the Islamic holy book outside a mosque in Stockholm on Wednesday as Muslims around the world were celebrating the first day of Eid al-Adha.
The action has been condemned by many Islamic countries, with the strongest reactions coming out of Momika’s home country Iraq, where dozens of influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr supporters on Thursday breached the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in protest.
"It is clear that it is completely unacceptable for people to illegally break into Swedish embassies in other countries," said the Swedish premier during a presser on Friday, adding "I also think that we should be calmer here in Sweden. The security situation is serious and there is no reason to offend other people."
Momika’s actions were authorized by Swedish authorities, as he was granted the right to conduct the protest according to the principles of freedom of expression and assembly.
Kristersson stressed that “just because some things are legal, they are not necessarily appropriate," referring to the burning of the Quran.
Ahmed al-Sahaf, spokesperson for Iraq's foreign ministry, on Friday said that the ministry had received a letter from the Swedish foreign ministry expressing their rejection of Momika’s actions and stating that the police have begun an investigation into the refugee’s suspected violations of Sweden’s “hate crime law.”
The Sadr supporters are set to hold “million-man” protests before the Swedish embassy on Friday afternoon, but have been instructed not to storm the embassy or burn the Swedish flag.
The Sadr supporters’ protest was in response to the cleric’s call a day earlier for “angry” demonstrations in front of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad. He has also demanded that Baghdad severs its ties with Sweden and withdraws the Iraqi nationality from Momika.
Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika, 37, stomped on and burnt pages of the Islamic holy book outside a mosque in Stockholm on Wednesday as Muslims around the world were celebrating the first day of Eid al-Adha.
The action has been condemned by many Islamic countries, with the strongest reactions coming out of Momika’s home country Iraq, where dozens of influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr supporters on Thursday breached the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in protest.
"It is clear that it is completely unacceptable for people to illegally break into Swedish embassies in other countries," said the Swedish premier during a presser on Friday, adding "I also think that we should be calmer here in Sweden. The security situation is serious and there is no reason to offend other people."
Momika’s actions were authorized by Swedish authorities, as he was granted the right to conduct the protest according to the principles of freedom of expression and assembly.
Kristersson stressed that “just because some things are legal, they are not necessarily appropriate," referring to the burning of the Quran.
Ahmed al-Sahaf, spokesperson for Iraq's foreign ministry, on Friday said that the ministry had received a letter from the Swedish foreign ministry expressing their rejection of Momika’s actions and stating that the police have begun an investigation into the refugee’s suspected violations of Sweden’s “hate crime law.”
The Sadr supporters are set to hold “million-man” protests before the Swedish embassy on Friday afternoon, but have been instructed not to storm the embassy or burn the Swedish flag.
The Sadr supporters’ protest was in response to the cleric’s call a day earlier for “angry” demonstrations in front of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad. He has also demanded that Baghdad severs its ties with Sweden and withdraws the Iraqi nationality from Momika.
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