Muslim states to hold emergency session in Jeddah over Quran burning

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is set to hold an emergency session on Sunday over the fallout that followed the burning of a Quran in Sweden last week, the Saudi Press Agency reported Saturday.

The open-ended meeting in Jeddah will take place at the invitation of the OIC's current session chair Saudi Arabia.

A statement carried by the SPA said the "meeting is scheduled to discuss measures against these despicable acts to express a united position against the desecration of the Holy Qur’an".

The provocative act was carried out outside Stockholm Central Mosque on Wednesday - the first day of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha - by Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika.

Swedish police granted Momika a permit in line with free speech protections, but authorities later said they had opened an investigation over "agitation".

In response, Kuwait, Iraq, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates summoned Sweden's envoys. Amid protests outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, Iraq also called for Momika to be extradited to face prosecution under Iraqi law.

The OIC called on states to prevent the recurrence of such "despicable acts" and attempts to desecrate Islamic symbols. The body also noted the importance of freedom of expression, while emphasising a need for dialogue and understanding.

In January, a Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist burned a copy of the Quran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, also triggering outrage in the Muslim world.

Momika vowed on Saturday that he would burn another copy of the Quran, along with an Iraqi flag, outside the Iraqi embassy in Sweden.