UN General Assembly adopts resolution deploring violence against holy books

The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution on Tuesday that deplores all acts of violence against holy books as a violation of international law.

It comes in the wake of multiple burnings and desecrations of copies of Islam’s holy book, the Quran, in European countries, including a recent high-profile Quran burning in front of a mosque in Sweden, allowed by the police, drawing international outrage.

Muslim leaders and politicians have stressed that such desecrations and provocations are not covered by freedom of expression laws.

The 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution drafted by Morocco by consensus.

It strongly deplored ''all acts of violence against persons on the basis of their religion or belief, as well as any such acts directed against their religious symbols, holy books, homes, businesses, properties, schools, cultural centers or places of worship, as well as all attacks on and in religious places, sites and shrines in violation of international law.".

On July 12, the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council also condemned recent attacks on the Quran despite Western countries’ votes against the resolution.

The resolution called for condemnation of attacks targeting the Quran and described them as ''acts of religious hatred.".

Earlier today, far-right extremist groups set fire to copies of the Quran, in front of the Egyptian and Turkish embassies in Copenhagen.

Denmark and Sweden said they deplore the burning of Quran but cannot prevent it under rules protecting free speech.

Last week, protesters in Iraq set the Swedish embassy in Baghdad ablaze.

Tuesday's demonstration in Copenhagen by a far-right extremist group called "Danish Patriots" followed Quran burnings the group staged on Monday and last week in front of the Iraqi embassy.