OIC calls for collective push to prevent Islamophobic acts

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Sunday said that collective measures are needed to prevent acts of desecration to the Holy Quran and international law should be used to stop religious hatred. The statement by the group of 57 member states, most of whose members have a Muslim-majority population, was issued after an extraordinary meeting in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah called to discuss Wednesday's incident in Sweden where the holy book was desecrated in a protest outside a mosque. "We must send constant reminders to the international community regarding the urgent application of international law, which clearly prohibits any advocacy of religious hatred," OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha said. Also read Desecration of Holy Quran: World condemns ‘vile act’ in Sweden During the meeting, Mr Taha called for a unified response to such incidents, describing the most recent one as a "despicable act". The Secretary-General emphasised that such incidents are not mere Islamophobia, but actions that deeply insult and offend the religious sensibilities of Muslims. As such, they require serious international measures to prevent their recurrence. On Wednesday, a man desecrated the holy book outside Stockholm's central mosque, the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holidays. The act angered OIC member Turkey whose backing Sweden needs to gain entry to the NATO military alliance. Swedish police had granted permission for a protest to take place. But, after the incident, police charged the man who carried it out with agitation against an ethnic or national group. Read more Pakistan strongly condemns desecration of Holy Quran in Sweden The incident has triggered large protests in Baghdad in front of the Swedish Embassy. It has also been condemned by the United States. Turkey in late January suspended talks with Sweden on its NATO application after a similar incident of desecration of the Holy Quran by a Danish far-right politician near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.