The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has announced the suspension of Sweden's Special Envoy status with the organization.
According to an OIC statement on Sunday, Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha was asked to consider actions against countries where the Holy Quran and Islamic symbols are desecrated, including possibly suspending the Special Envoy status, during the OIC Executive Committee's extraordinary meeting on July 2.
“The Secretary-General welcomed the measures taken by some member States to protest against the repeated attacks on Islamic sanctities,'' the statement said.
“He called on all member states to take the sovereign decisions they deem appropriate'' in condemning the Swedish authorities for granting ''licences that enabled the repeated abuse of the sanctity of the Holy Qur’an and Islamic symbols,'' the statement added.
The OIC member states have also rejected ''such disgraceful acts under the pretext of freedom of expression.”
Taha also highlighted that the burning of Quran copies and other acts against Islamic figures and symbols are not “ordinary Islamophobia incidents.”
“He exhorted the international community to urgently implement international law, which clearly prohibits any advocacy of religious hatred,” the statement said.
The OIC Secretary-General stressed the importance of adhering to the UN Human Rights Council's recently adopted resolution, which addresses the issue of "combating religious hatred that incites discrimination, hostility, or violence."
The OIC General Secretariat is preparing to call an emergency meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers to further discuss the situation and make any necessary decisions.
