Copenhagen, 7 December 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Denmark has introduced legislation to make the burning of the Koran or other religious writings illegal in the future. The Danish parliament passed the new law on Thursday.

Under its provisions the inappropriate treatment of writings with essential religious significance for recognized religious communities will be punishable by up to two years in prison. For example, it will also be a criminal offence to burn or stamp on the Bible or the Torah in public.

Koran burnings in Denmark and Sweden in the summer led to angry reactions and sometimes violent protests in Muslim-majority countries, and to diplomatic trouble for the Scandinavian states.

Against this backdrop, the Danish government presented a draft law in September to ban the inappropriate handling of religious objects. The new text of the law now only refers to writings with significant religious importance.

After an hour-long debate in the Danish parliament, which was broadcast on the internet, 94 members of parliament voted in favour of the bill and 77 against.

The opposition accuses the government of restricting freedom of expression with the so-called "Koran law" and bending to the will of Islamist regimes.

Photo: MIA archive