Egypt urges int’l community to take action to prevent Quran burning 

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry yesterday condemned the repeated burning of the Holy Quran by extremists across Europe, calling for international action to prevent such provocations in the future, Al-Ahram Online reported

Shoukry delivered a recorded speech to the urgent session of the UN Human Rights Council held in Geneva to discuss the escalation of acts of religious hatred and the repeated violations of the Holy Quran, most recently in Sweden.

The Egyptian diplomat expressed concern and condemned the “repeated crimes of burning the Holy Quran at the hands of extremists.” He stressed on the need to address hate crimes against Muslims and their religious symbols, prevent their recurrence and hold the perpetrators accountable.

Shoukry said states must observe their obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which mandates the adoption of legislation prohibiting incitement to religious hatred and the development of strategies to promote peaceful coexistence and tolerance.

This comes in response to the provocative Quran burning incident in Stockholm on the day coinciding with Eid Al-Adha last month.

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