Sweden re-examines residency permit of Quran burner

WORLD, July 29 (YPA) – The Swedish migration agency said late on Friday it is re-examining the residency permit of an Iraqi refugee who is behind several Quran desecrations in Stockholm in recent weeks, which have upset Muslims across the world.

According to the Swedish news agency TT, the man has a temporary residency permit in Sweden that is set to expire in 2024.

In an email to Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladt, the migration agency said it is re-examining his immigration status, after it received information from the Swedish authorities that have given reason to examine whether the man’s status in Sweden should be revoked.

The man burnt a copy of the Quran last month outside of Stockholm’s central mosque and also held a demonstration in front of the Iraqi embassy in July where he said he would burn the holy book, but did not do so.

In addition to requests to burn the Qur’an, there are also many requests to burn other religious books such as the New Testament and the Old Testament, prompting many to criticize Sweden.

Swedish courts have ruled that police cannot stop burnings of holy scriptures, but Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s government said earlier in July it would examine if there was reason to change the Public Order Act to make it possible for police to stop Quran burnings.

E.M