Denmark is moving to introduce new laws that will ban the burning of the Quran in public, a crime that would be punishable with up to two years in prison.
The new law has been proposed by the Danish government, citing “national security” concerns.
However, the move to ban the desecration of the Islamic religious text is provoking a backlash over concerns that blasphemy laws are returning to Europe. Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said such burnings harmed Denmark and risked the safety of Danes, according to the BBC.
The planned law will make improper treatment of the Quran or Bible a criminal offense punishable by a fine and jail sentence of up to two years. But many argue that it hasn’t been a crime to burn a Bible for decades and that the laws are now only being introduced to protect the Quran.