ISTANBUL

The Istanbul Syriac Kadim Foundation on Saturday “strongly” condemned the burning of a copy of the Quran, Islam’s holy book, by a Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist in Stockholm.

“It is never acceptable to insult sacred values, for whatever purpose, in the name of freedom,” the foundation said on Twitter.

The condemnation came after Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Danish far-right party Stram Kurs (Hard Line), burnt a copy of the holy Quran on Saturday outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm.

In response to Sweden's permission for a planned burning of the Quran, Ankara canceled Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson's upcoming visit to Türkiye.

On Friday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned Swedish Ambassador to Ankara Staffan Herrstrom, who was told that Türkiye "strongly condemns this provocative act, which is clearly a hate crime, that Sweden's attitude is unacceptable, that Ankara expects the act not to be allowed, and insults to sacred values cannot be defended under the guise of democratic rights."

* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz