For Sweden, burning Quran at home damages diplomacy abroad

Yet another “insult” to Muslims in Sweden by an Iraqi refugee has proven the tipping point for already tense relations with the Scandinavian nation, complicating diplomacy and politics abroad

AFP

Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr during a protest climb the fence outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on July 20, 2023 as firefighters try to put out a fire there.

For Sweden, burning Quran at home damages diplomacy abroad

Shelly Kittleson

last update on 20 Jul 2023

Baghdad: The Islamic holy month of Muharram has started in the Iraqi capital against the backdrop of another authorisation to burn a copy of the Quran in Sweden and its embassy set alight by hundreds of angry protesters.

Before dawn on July 20, supporters of popular Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad for the second time in recent weeks in response to reports that yet another protest involving the burning of a Quran would be held later in the day in Sweden.

This time, the protestors set the embassy alight. Videos and photos were circulated of men scaling the blast walls surrounding the embassy, yelling and holding photos of al-Sadr aloft prior to being dispersed by force.

An emergency meeting was immediately called and presided over by the prime minister, Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

An initial statement noted that the government considered the incident a security breach and ordered that it be dealt with immediately and that “those responsible for security must be held accountable”.

A Baghdad court later reportedly issued arrest warrants for 20 suspected arsonists.

The office of the prime minister subsequently issued a statement noting that the “Iraqi government has informed the Swedish government through diplomatic channels that any recurrence of the incident involving the burning of the Holy Quran on Swedish soil would necessitate severing diplomatic relations.”

On Thursday afternoon, the prime minister ordered the Iraqi foreign ministry to withdraw its charges d’affaires from the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm and ordered the Swedish ambassador to leave Iraqi territory “in response to the repeated permission of the Swedish government to burn the Holy Quran,” insulting Islam and burning the Iraqi flag.

The Swedish foreign minister, Tobias Billström, called the attacks “completely unacceptable”.

This unprecedented decision to sever diplomatic ties with Sweden came after weeks of tension and anger, in part due to the fact that the man gleefully insulting and mutilating the Quran in public was not only not being punished but that Sweden showed no sign of being willing to consider sending him back to his home country – Iraq.

Iraq’s constitution establishes Islam as the official state religion and the foundation of legislation. The overwhelming of Iraq’s citizens are Muslims.

The country’s penal code prohibits “insult” to religious rituals, symbols or sacred persons and objects. Blasphemy is punishable by up to three years in prison.

Iraq's penal code prohibits "insult" to religious rituals, symbols or sacred persons and objects. Blasphemy is punishable by up to three years in prison.

In late June, the Iraqi-origin refugee had burned pages of a Quran in front of Stockholm's largest mosque during the major Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. The man, named Salwan Momika, had reportedly fled Iraq in recent years.

Following the incident in Sweden and the resulting public outcry, Iraq called for Momika to be arrested and extradited. The Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq said in a statement that it had issued an arrest warrant for him.

On his Facebook page, Momika – who calls himself a "politician" there – had in recent days complained of concerns for his own safety after having his police protection removed.

Momika also posted photos of official requests to burn the Quran again. The protest was reportedly approved.

AFP — Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr climb the fence outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on July 20, 2023.

In the end, he and others kicked around and damaged a Quran but did not burn it.

Swedish police in February had banned Momika from burning the Quran outside Iraq's embassy on the grounds that doing so risked causing a public disorder even if he cited his right to free speech.

However, in April an administrative court overturned the ban, ruling that the right to assembly and the right to protest are both protected under Sweden's constitutional laws and democratic system.

Muharram is one of the four months considered holiest on the Islamic calendar. The tenth day of the month is Ashura which is held especially dear by Shiite Muslims around the world. They commemorate the death of Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Husayn Ibn Ali al-Hussein, in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD.

Notably, many of those taking part in the attack on the embassy seemed to be al-Sadr supporters.

Despite having received the largest chunk of votes in the October 2021 elections, his supporters are no longer in the parliament after resigning en masse in June 2022 following months of an inability to form a government.

Al-Sadr supporters had in August last year - amid similar levels of above 40 degrees Celsius temperatures as seen these days in Baghdad - occupied parts of Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone. They left only after major violence erupted for almost 24 hours, leaving dozens dead and hundreds injured, and al-Sadr ordered them to do so.

Iraq's constitution establishes Islam as the official state religion and the foundation of legislation. The overwhelming of Iraq's citizens are Muslims

The sight of hundreds rushing to leave the Green Zone within the one hour he had given them to follow his orders underscored at that time how much power he holds, especially among the young and disenfranchised.

The current government is backed by multiple factions that are part of the Iran-led regional muqawama, or "resistance" axis, who are considered al-Sadr's rivals among the Shiite population. The government was sworn in only after al-Sadr announced a withdrawal from politics. It took office in October 2022.

Relatively minor tit-for-tat attacks by the rival factions have continued in recent months but both factions have spoken out against what they see as a serious insult to Islam.

Reuters — Protesters clash with members of the police as they gather near the Swedish embassy in Baghdad hours after the embassy was stormed and set on fire.

For Iraqi political analyst Lawk Ghafuri, the decision to sever diplomatic ties with Sweden "merely aimed to appease Muqtada al-Sadr".

He added on Twitter: "A gentle reply from PM Sudani would have drawn condemnation from Sadrists, sparking their attention to turn against the government. Consequently, to prevent a surge of Sadrists storming governmental institutions with the aim to topple the government, Sudani opted for survival."

In a statement released in the early evening on Thursday, Maj. Gen. Yehia Rasoul, spokesman for the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, urged "our fellow citizens and peaceful demonstrators to identify and deal with any disruptive individuals attempting to deviate the protests from their peaceful and constitutionally protected nature. By doing so, we can ensure the demonstrations retain their legitimacy and continue to uphold their rightful purpose."

The prime minister's order for the Swedish ambassador to leave the country seems to have been well received by many Iraqis who have long felt that Western diplomacies fail to respect the local population.

It was also a move that brought the two oft-sparring Shiite factions together, though it could have serious repercussions on Iraq's foreign relations and investment climate.

Hours after the diplomatic row, Iraq suspended the working permit of Sweden's telecom giant Ericsson on Iraqi soil.

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