The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is set to convene an emergency open-ended meeting on Sunday to address the consequences of the recent burning of a copy of the Qur'an in Sweden during Eid Al-Adha, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency. The meeting, scheduled to take place at the OIC's headquarters in Jeddah, was initiated at the invitation of Saudi Arabia, which currently chairs the Islamic Summit and the OIC's Executive Committee.
The desecration of the Qur'an and the subsequent act of setting it on fire in front of Stockholm's largest mosque by Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old Iraqi refugee, has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation throughout the Muslim and Arab world.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss measures aimed at collectively addressing and expressing a unified stance against such reprehensible acts of desecrating the Holy Qur'an. The OIC has emphasized the gravity of these actions, which undermine mutual respect and harmony among peoples and contradict international efforts to promote values of tolerance, moderation, and the rejection of extremism.
The organization has urged the relevant governments to take effective measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. It strongly denounces any repetition of these vile attacks and condemns all attempts to desecrate the sanctity of the Qur'an, as well as other Islamic values, symbols, and sanctities.
Reaffirming the commitment of all nations under the UN Charter, the OIC emphasizes the obligation to promote and encourage universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all individuals, irrespective of their race, gender, language, or religion.
Furthermore, the OIC emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the right to freedom of expression is exercised responsibly and in accordance with relevant international human rights laws. It underscores the significance of promoting dialogue, understanding, and cooperation among religions, cultures, and civilizations to foster global peace and harmony.
