(VOVWORLD) - The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Sunday called for joint action to prevent the desecration of the Holy Quran, four days after the holy book was burned during a protest in Sweden’s capital Stockholm.
 Salwan Momika burns the Quran outside the largest mosque in Stockholm on June 28, 2023. (Photo: EPA)
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The 57-member organization held an emergency meeting at its headquarters in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to respond to the incident. According to the statement released after the meeting, the OIC urges member states to take unified measures to prevent the recurrence of insults to the Quran.
OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha underscored the need to send constant reminders to the international community regarding the urgent application of international law, which clearly prohibits any advocacy of religious hatred.
The Muslim community and governments reacted strongly after Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee living in Sweden, burned the Quran outside the largest mosque in Stockholm on June 28, the first day of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.
Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Sunday said Tehran will protest by refraining from sending a new ambassador to Sweden.
The Swedish government on Sunday strongly condemned the burning outside Stockholm’s main mosque, calling it an “Islamophobic” act, after OIC called for measures to stop such acts.
The Swedish government said it fully understands that the Islamophobic acts committed by individuals at demonstrations in Sweden are offensive to Muslims.