”Denmark is considering refusing Koran burning at embassies. Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt denies that it is relevant in Norway.
**NORWAY DOES NOT DO AS DENMARK**
“The government has no plans to change Norwegian regulations today.”
This is what Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Ap) writes in an e-mail to Klassekampen. At the weekend, Huitfeldt’s Danish colleague Lars Løkke Rasmussen announced that Denmark is working on a law change to prevent Koran burning outside embassies.
That is out of the question in Norway, states Huitfeldt.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) adopted a statement on Monday condemning the Koran burnings in Sweden and Denmark. The organisation’s 57 member countries are calling for political reactions against the countries. Subsequently, Sweden has tightened border controls, and Danish security authorities have stated that the terrorist threat against Denmark has intensified.
The Danish foreign minister stated at the weekend that the government is looking for “legal tools” to prevent Koran burnings in front of foreign embassies.
**Stands up to hate**
The Minister for Foreign Affairs writes that she follows the situation in Sweden and Denmark closely.
“Both the Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice and I have clearly emphasized that we distance ourselves from Koran burning. The government stands up against hatred of Muslims,” writes Huitfeldt.
She maintains that consideration of freedom of expression weighs heavily in the case.
“It is strongly protected in Norwegian legislation and is a pillar of Norwegian democracy. We will defend freedom of expression, even when we strongly disagree with the statements that are put forward,” writes the foreign minister.
**Have contingency plans**
The Koran burnings have led to counter-demonstrations in Muslim countries, and in July the Swedish embassy in Iraq was set on fire. Huitfeldt writes that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has contingency plans that can be put into effect if Norwegian embassies are also threatened.
“We know that events like this can cause reactions in certain countries,” Huitfeldt writes about the Koran burnings.
She reminds that the host countries are obliged to ensure the security of foreign embassies and diplomats – and that Norway does the same for their embassies here in Norway.
**”Hateful Acts”**
In the Storting, too, the politicians stand firm on the Norwegian line. Neither the SV, the Center Party, the Progressive Party nor the Liberal Party want to follow Denmark’s example.
“Koran burning as we know it from recent years is reprehensible and hateful acts that do not deserve special protection,” writes SV’s Ingrid Fiskaa in an email.
She adds that the police should not use resources to facilitate book burning in Norway. Fiskaa is equally opposed to banning Koran burning for foreign policy reasons.
“Norway and other countries must be able to allow markings that are controversial in foreign policy, and not allow themselves to be dictated by pressure from outside.”
**Up to the courts**
Parliamentary leader Marit Arnstad in the Center Party describes the matter as difficult.
– Most people think Koran burning is terrible, and that in some cases it can be seen as a hate crime. At the same time, it must be balanced with freedom of expression, she says.
She believes there is no basis for introducing a ban on Koran burning in certain places, such as embassies.
– We have the freedom of expression clause enshrined in the Constitution and provisions on hate speech in the Criminal Code. It is the courts that must assess this, not us politically. We cannot decide politically how far freedom of expression goes in individual cases, says Arnstad.
– Can we do like Denmark and ban burning outside embassies?
– At first glance, it seems difficult to make freedom of expression tied to place, and that it should work to a greater extent in some places than others, says Arnstad.
**Disliked speech**
The bourgeois parties Frp and Venstre’s parliamentary politicians also defend freedom of expression.
– I have little sense of burning religious books or things that mean a lot to people. It is disrespectful and an unnecessary way to express yourself. But we have freedom of expression in Norway, even for expressions that we dislike, says Erlend Wiborg in the Progressive Party.
The Liberals emphasize that freedom of expression is fundamental in a liberal democracy and should stand strong in Norway:
“Burning the Koran, flags or other things are legal expressions, and should still be, regardless of whether we think the expression is good or whether there are opinions we stand behind”, writes Grunde Almeland in Venstre.”
Oh Norway. Hopefully you won’t change your mind in the future like Sweden did.
Good
Great news. Burn those books everyday
How many more threads are we going to get about the same topic?
It’s not my intention to defend Islam, but allowing the burning of religious books, especially the Quran, is definitely not smart, regardless whether you think it should be covered by freedom of speech and expression or not.
You know it will strongly offend a big part of the world’s population (of which a small part is even within your borders) and that that is usually not the most progressive part. It’s damaging bilateral relations and increasing the risk of terror attack atrocities such as bombings, stabbings and general hostile behaviour towards Danes and Swedes, maybe even christians and atheists in general, by muslims from inside and outside your countries. By leaving it legal, you make life for your citizens more dangerous.
6 comments
”Denmark is considering refusing Koran burning at embassies. Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt denies that it is relevant in Norway.
**NORWAY DOES NOT DO AS DENMARK**
“The government has no plans to change Norwegian regulations today.”
This is what Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Ap) writes in an e-mail to Klassekampen. At the weekend, Huitfeldt’s Danish colleague Lars Løkke Rasmussen announced that Denmark is working on a law change to prevent Koran burning outside embassies.
That is out of the question in Norway, states Huitfeldt.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) adopted a statement on Monday condemning the Koran burnings in Sweden and Denmark. The organisation’s 57 member countries are calling for political reactions against the countries. Subsequently, Sweden has tightened border controls, and Danish security authorities have stated that the terrorist threat against Denmark has intensified.
The Danish foreign minister stated at the weekend that the government is looking for “legal tools” to prevent Koran burnings in front of foreign embassies.
**Stands up to hate**
The Minister for Foreign Affairs writes that she follows the situation in Sweden and Denmark closely.
“Both the Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice and I have clearly emphasized that we distance ourselves from Koran burning. The government stands up against hatred of Muslims,” writes Huitfeldt.
She maintains that consideration of freedom of expression weighs heavily in the case.
“It is strongly protected in Norwegian legislation and is a pillar of Norwegian democracy. We will defend freedom of expression, even when we strongly disagree with the statements that are put forward,” writes the foreign minister.
**Have contingency plans**
The Koran burnings have led to counter-demonstrations in Muslim countries, and in July the Swedish embassy in Iraq was set on fire. Huitfeldt writes that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has contingency plans that can be put into effect if Norwegian embassies are also threatened.
“We know that events like this can cause reactions in certain countries,” Huitfeldt writes about the Koran burnings.
She reminds that the host countries are obliged to ensure the security of foreign embassies and diplomats – and that Norway does the same for their embassies here in Norway.
**”Hateful Acts”**
In the Storting, too, the politicians stand firm on the Norwegian line. Neither the SV, the Center Party, the Progressive Party nor the Liberal Party want to follow Denmark’s example.
“Koran burning as we know it from recent years is reprehensible and hateful acts that do not deserve special protection,” writes SV’s Ingrid Fiskaa in an email.
She adds that the police should not use resources to facilitate book burning in Norway. Fiskaa is equally opposed to banning Koran burning for foreign policy reasons.
“Norway and other countries must be able to allow markings that are controversial in foreign policy, and not allow themselves to be dictated by pressure from outside.”
**Up to the courts**
Parliamentary leader Marit Arnstad in the Center Party describes the matter as difficult.
– Most people think Koran burning is terrible, and that in some cases it can be seen as a hate crime. At the same time, it must be balanced with freedom of expression, she says.
She believes there is no basis for introducing a ban on Koran burning in certain places, such as embassies.
– We have the freedom of expression clause enshrined in the Constitution and provisions on hate speech in the Criminal Code. It is the courts that must assess this, not us politically. We cannot decide politically how far freedom of expression goes in individual cases, says Arnstad.
– Can we do like Denmark and ban burning outside embassies?
– At first glance, it seems difficult to make freedom of expression tied to place, and that it should work to a greater extent in some places than others, says Arnstad.
**Disliked speech**
The bourgeois parties Frp and Venstre’s parliamentary politicians also defend freedom of expression.
– I have little sense of burning religious books or things that mean a lot to people. It is disrespectful and an unnecessary way to express yourself. But we have freedom of expression in Norway, even for expressions that we dislike, says Erlend Wiborg in the Progressive Party.
The Liberals emphasize that freedom of expression is fundamental in a liberal democracy and should stand strong in Norway:
“Burning the Koran, flags or other things are legal expressions, and should still be, regardless of whether we think the expression is good or whether there are opinions we stand behind”, writes Grunde Almeland in Venstre.”
Oh Norway. Hopefully you won’t change your mind in the future like Sweden did.
Good
Great news. Burn those books everyday
How many more threads are we going to get about the same topic?
It’s not my intention to defend Islam, but allowing the burning of religious books, especially the Quran, is definitely not smart, regardless whether you think it should be covered by freedom of speech and expression or not.
You know it will strongly offend a big part of the world’s population (of which a small part is even within your borders) and that that is usually not the most progressive part. It’s damaging bilateral relations and increasing the risk of terror attack atrocities such as bombings, stabbings and general hostile behaviour towards Danes and Swedes, maybe even christians and atheists in general, by muslims from inside and outside your countries. By leaving it legal, you make life for your citizens more dangerous.
So I would say, ban it.