Dutch media reported that the Dutch Parliament voted against a ban on desecrating and burning the Holy Quran, following a request made earlier by the Mayor of Arnhem.
According to a news report, the majority in the Dutch Parliament opposed Arnhem Mayor Ahmed Marcouch’s call for a national ban on the desecration and burning of the Quran.
In this context, members of parliament stated that an earlier attempt by the anti-Islamic movement Pegida to burn the Quran got out of control earlier this year. However, they deemed a ban unnecessary, as reported by the newspaper Volkskrant.
The report noted that the parliament held its first session of the parliamentary year last Tuesday, where the discussions centered on the anti-Islamic Pegida movement and the ban on burning religious texts.
Earlier this year, Pegida leader Edwin Wagensveld announced his intention to burn the Quran in the town of Arnhem, while police forces attempted to prevent him. Arnhem’s mayor also banned the new action taken by Wagensveld and called for a national ban on such incidents.
On the other hand, Dutch MP Ismail El Abassi called for this discussion to be held in January, emphasizing the need to support the ban. He stated that burning religious texts like the Quran is an extreme expression of humiliation and dehumanization of certain populations, adding, “This is not freedom of expression; it is hatred towards Muslims.”
Similarly, MP Songül Mutluer of the GL-PvdA party also called for the ban, pointing out that controversial opinions fall within the scope of freedom of expression, but when the aim is to incite hatred, it is unacceptable. She added that there are many other ways to criticize religions.
In earlier statements, Dutch Minister of Justice and Security Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius expressed the desire to set limits on the right to protest, adding that this point would be included in the government program currently being drafted.
