Swedish prosecutors have charged two men with inciting ethnic hatred for their roles in a series of protests involving the burning of Korans in 2023. The charges against Salwan Momika and Salwan Najem stem from four separate incidents during the summer of 2023 where they desecrated the Quran and made derogatory remarks about Muslims. These protests ignited widespread anger across the Muslim world, leading to protests and strained relations between Sweden and several Middle Eastern countries.
Senior prosecutor Anna Hankkio stated that the men were charged with “agitation against an ethnic group” for their actions, which included burning the Quran and making offensive statements about Islam. One incident involved desecrating the Quran outside a Stockholm mosque. The prosecutor emphasized the seriousness of the charges and the need for a court to determine the guilt or innocence of the accused.
The tension surrounding the Koran burnings has highlighted the complexities of balancing freedom of speech and the potential for hate speech in Sweden. In July 2023, Iraqi protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad twice, setting fire to the compound on the second occasion. In response to the heightened threat, Sweden’s intelligence service, Sapo, raised its threat level to four on a scale of five, indicating the country had become a “prioritised target.”
The Swedish government, while condemning the desecrations, has maintained that freedom of speech and assembly are enshrined in the country’s constitution. This case is not an isolated incident. Earlier this month, prosecutors charged Swedish-Danish right-wing activist Rasmus Paludan with the same crime for a 2022 protest in Malmö, which also included burning the Quran. In October 2023, a Swedish court convicted a man of inciting ethnic hatred for a 2020 Koran burning. This was the first time the country’s court system had tried the charge specifically for desecrating Islam’s holy book.
Swedish prosecutors have previously stated that under Swedish law, burning a Quran can be interpreted as a critique of the book and religion, and therefore be protected under free speech. However, the context and statements made during such actions can also be considered “agitation against an ethnic group.” The ongoing legal proceedings will provide further clarity on how these complex issues are addressed under Swedish law.
