ALGIERS – Monday, 25 September 2023 (APS) – The speaker of the People’s National Assembly (lower house of Parliament) and president of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC), Brahim Boughali, on Monday, in Algiers, called on the parliaments of the member states to submit an “emergency clause” in the next session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) for the adoption of a resolution condemning and criminalizing the violation of religious and sacred symbols.
Speaking via video link at a meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States, on the ways to ban the behaviors that undermine the values of tolerance and moderation of the Holy Qur’an, Boughali condemned the latest vile attacks against the Islamic religion and Muslims in the name of freedom of expression.
He stressed that “what some extremists do under the protection of police in some European countries by burning the holy Qur’an, is a provocation that exacerbates hatred, extremism and violence.”
“It is also a test to strengthen our solidarity and defend our religion.”
“We take note of the late apology of the Swedish and Danish governments and call them to review their laws to prevent the recurrence of such practices, and (call for) the adoption of a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council, condemning the burning of the Holy Qur’an,” he said.