Swedish prosecutors have charged two individuals, Salwan Momika and Salwan Najem, with inciting ethnic hatred during a series of protests in 2023, where they desecrated the Quran, sparking widespread outrage across the Muslim world.
The men, charged with “offences of agitation against an ethnic or national group,” committed these acts on four separate occasions, including one protest outside a Stockholm mosque. Senior Prosecutor Anna Hankkio emphasized the need for these actions to be tried in court, stating that the men’s statements and actions were meant to express contempt for Muslims based on their faith.
Momika, a Christian Iraqi who received a residence permit in Sweden in 2021, gained notoriety for organizing Quran desecrations in public places throughout Sweden. Videos of these incidents serve as key evidence in the case. The protests, under the guise of free speech, have strained Sweden’s relations with Muslim countries, triggering diplomatic tensions and protests, including attacks on Swedish embassies in Iraq.
Earlier this month, Sweden also charged Swedish-Danish activist Rasmus Paludan for a similar protest in 2022, marking a growing legal response to such actions. However, Sweden’s constitutionally protected freedoms of speech and assembly have complicated the legal landscape, as prosecutors argue that the context and intent behind such protests determine whether they cross into illegal hate speech.
International Reactions and Legislative Responses
The Quran burnings have provoked an international backlash, prompting countries and organizations to call for stronger actions. The Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the desecrations, describing them as “acts of aggression that spread hatred and contempt for religions.” The OIC urged member states to consider political and economic measures against Sweden, Denmark, and other countries that allow such actions, warning that these provocations threaten global peace, security, and harmony.
In response to the growing unrest, Denmark passed legislation in December making it illegal to burn religious texts in public spaces, signaling a shift in its stance. However, Sweden is still exploring legal avenues that would enable law enforcement to deny demonstration permits on national security grounds. Despite the condemnation of the Quran desecrations, the Swedish government has not passed any legislation addressing the incitement of ethnic and religious hatred.
The Swedish Intelligence Service, Sapo, raised its threat level to four on a five-point scale in August 2023, highlighting how the Quran burnings had made Sweden a “prioritised target” for international threats. This heightened alert underscores the severe security implications of such actions, which have inflamed tensions both domestically and abroad.
In 2020, a Swedish court convicted a man of inciting ethnic hatred through a Quran burning, marking the first time the charge was applied for desecrating the Islamic holy book. Prosecutors argue that while Swedish law protects critique of religion under free speech, the context of the Quran burnings, accompanied by derogatory remarks, transforms these acts into criminal offenses.
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The recent charges against Momika, Najem, and Paludan are part of a broader effort to hold individuals accountable for actions deemed harmful to public order and interfaith relations. “It is important that this matter is tried in court,” Prosecutor Hankkio reiterated, underscoring the role of the judiciary in delineating the boundaries of free expression.
The Quran burnings have not only tested Sweden’s legal frameworks but have also ignited a broader debate on the limits of free speech. While some view the acts as protected expressions of critique, others see them as clear incitements of hate against a religious group. As the cases proceed, Sweden’s courts will play a pivotal role in setting legal precedents that could shape the country’s approach to hate speech and public demonstrations in the future.