Turkey calls the Netherlands to account. The step follows the tearing up of a Quran by foreman Edwin Wagensveld of Pegida, which fights against Islamic influences in the west. Wagensveld recently tore up the holy book for Muslims at the Turkish embassy in The Hague.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara summoned a diplomat from the Dutch embassy. He was told that Turkey is “disturbed” by the ongoing violations of the Quran and “strongly condemns” such actions, reports CNN Türk. A top Danish diplomat also has to show up after incidents with Korans in Denmark, Turkish media report.
Turkey has repeatedly expressed its disapproval of public violations of the Quran in Western countries. At the end of July, Ankara expressed its anger at a Koran burning in Sweden. That country would like to join NATO and also needs Turkey’s permission to do so.
On the action of Pegida foreman Edwin Wagensveld counter-demonstrators had also turned up on Friday. Among other things, they shouted ‘shame on you’ and stones were thrown. Wagensveld in turn told the Turkish embassy ‘you don’t belong here’.
Pakistan has also condemned the “deeply offensive” incident. The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls the deliberate damage of the holy book hurtful to all Muslims in the world. Pakistan asks the Netherlands to ensure that such ‘hateful and Islamophobic acts’ cannot take place. The Pakistani ministry states that countries are obliged under international law to prevent ‘incitement to hatred’. According to the country, deliberately damaging a Koran does not fall under freedom of expression.
Great outrage
Similar incidents in other European countries have already sparked outrage in Muslim countries. Sweden was recently forced to raise its terrorist threat level following Koran burnings. Justice Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz said last week that he would take into account that destroying or burning a Koran could also lead to an increased terrorist threat in the Netherlands.
Wagensveld has previously also torn up a Koran, which led to protests. The Quran is the holy book for Muslims. The leader of the anti-Islam movement Pegida has yet to appear in court for group insult because he said, among other things, that the Koran is ‘a fascist book’ when tearing it up.
View below the images that were recorded on Friday at Pegida’s action.
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