Denmark proposes bill to ban Quran burning

The Danish government submitted a revised bill on Friday to ban the burning of the Quran on its territory after the initial version of the law received criticism due to restrictions on freedom of expression and implementation difficulties.

The Ministry of Justice stated: "The scope of the bill has been limited to specifically target inappropriate treatment of highly religiously significant holy books."

Originally, it aimed to address desecration of all highly religiously significant objects.

The bill will be discussed during a parliamentary session scheduled for November 14th.

At the end of August, the government announced its intention to legislate this matter following the burning of the Quran on its territory, which stirred anger in Islamic countries and threatened national security.

In Iraq, for example, hundreds of supporters of influential religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr attempted to organize a march towards the Danish embassy in Baghdad at the end of July.

The initial bill faced criticism from some who saw it as a return to blasphemy laws and from legal experts who feared implementation difficulties.

Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard stated in a statement: "With the changes we propose today, the law will be easier to understand, including for the police and the courts," noting that the country faces an increased terrorism threat.

AFP