Turkiye on Friday strongly condemned the recurrence of a “vile attack” on the Muslim Holy Book, the Quran, and a Turkish flag in Denmark, Anadolu News Agency reports.
“We condemn in the strongest terms that the hate crime committed in Denmark on 24 March against our Holy Book, the Quran, and our glorious flag was allowed to be perpetrated again on 31 March in Ramadan,” said a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement.
Saying that the Danish Ambassador, Danny Annan, was summoned to the Ministry, Ankara informed that diplomat that “we strongly condemn and protest this vile attack”.
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“We, once again, firmly call on Danish authorities to take necessary actions against the perpetrators of this crime and to take effective measures to prevent the recurrence of such provocations,” the Ministry added.
Reaffirming that “giving permission to this heinous act under the guise of freedom of expression is absolutely unacceptable and that such an approach can never be justified,” Ankara further took note of the “insistence on this mistake”.
“It is clearly seen that the inadequacy of legal and administrative measures and the lack of political will to prevent such acts, as well as impunity of perpetrators have encouraged further provocations,” a statement said.
Noting that the latest act “is a clear proof that Islamophobia, xenophobia, discrimination and racism have recently increased in Europe,” the Ministry further stressed that “such acts of hate crime also constitute an offense to those who believe in tolerance, culture of peaceful coexistence and democratic values.”
“Being unable to see this fact and condoning these acts is a grave negligence,” it added.
Recent months have seen several acts of Quran burning, or attempts to do so, by Islamophobic figures or groups in northern Europe and Nordic countries.
READ: Allowing Quran burning in Sweden, Denmark threatens other religious groups: Rights defender