Pope Francis has condemned the burning of the Holy Quran in Sweden, saying that the vile act had “angered and disgusted” him and he refused to acknowledge the act as a form of freedom of speech.
The comments came in response to the latest incident of Quran’s desecration in Sweden when a man set a copy of the sacred book ablaze outside a mosque in the country’s capital city last week.
“Any book considered holy should be respected to respect those who believe in it,” the pope said in an interview in the United Arab Emirates newspaper Al Ittihad, published on Monday.
“I feel angry and disgusted at these actions.
“Freedom of speech should never be used as a means to despise others and allowing that is rejected and condemned.”
The abhorrent burning of the Holy Quran resulted in strong condemnation from several states, including Turkey, whose backing Sweden needs to gain entry to the Nato military alliance.
While Swedish police have rejected several recent applications for anti-Quran demonstrations, courts have over-ruled those decisions, saying they infringed freedom of speech.
On Sunday, an Islamic grouping of 57 states said collective measures are needed to prevent acts of desecration to the Quran and international law should be used to stop religious hatred.
