The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has announced the suspension of Sweden’s Special Envoy status within the organization. This decision comes in line with the recommendations of the concluding statement issued by the OIC’s Executive Committee during its extraordinary meeting on July 2, 2023. The statement called for a review of the formal framework that links the OIC with any country where the sanctity of copies of the Holy Quran, Islamic values, and symbols have been desecrated with the approval of the concerned country. As part of this review, the status of the Special Envoy has been suspended.
Furthermore, the OIC Secretary-General welcomed actions taken by some member states to protest against the repeated attacks on Islamic sanctities. He urged all member countries to exercise their sovereign rights by expressing their rejection of granting Swedish authorities licenses that enable recurrent insults to the sanctity of the Holy Quran and Islamic symbols, all under the guise of freedom of expression.
The Secretary-General stressed the importance of enacting necessary legislative measures to criminalize such attacks, while also emphasizing that the exercise of freedom of expression carries special duties and responsibilities.
He highlighted that the desecration of the Holy Quran, the defamation of Prophet Muhammad, and the abuse of Islamic symbols are not mere instances of ordinary Islamophobia. He called on the international community to urgently enforce international law, which explicitly prohibits any incitement to religious hatred.
The statement concluded by announcing that preparations are underway to hold an extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Ministers’ Council at the earliest possible date to continue discussions on this matter and make appropriate decisions.
