The Government of Maldives strongly condemns the tearing of copies of the Holy Quran in front of several embassies in The Hague, Netherlands on 23 September 2023.
The repeated and public acts of the desecration of the Holy Quran cannot be justified under the guise of freedom of speech and expression. States need to adopt national laws, policies and law enforcement frameworks that address, prevent and prosecute acts and advocacy of religious hatred that constitute incitement to discrimination or violence.
The increasing number of incidents of religious intolerance, negative stereotyping, hatred, and violence against Muslims is of grave concern. The Government of Maldives reiterates its call to end such abhorrent acts against Islam. Concerted global action is necessary to combat the rise of islamophobia and hate speech.
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