Prosecutors Charge Man With ‘Blasphemy’ After Burning Koran

A Danish man was charged with blasphemy Thursday after burning a Koran and placing video of the act online.

It is illegal in Denmark to “publicly mock a religious community’s religious doctrines or worship.” Prosecutor Jan Reckendorff says the law hasn’t been enforced since 1971, when a radio show played a song mocking Christianity.

“It is the prosecution’s view that circumstances involving the burning of holy books such as the Bible and the Quran can in certain cases be a violation of the blasphemy clause, which covers public scorn or mockery of religion,” prosecutors said in a statement. If convicted, the unnamed man would be subject to fines and up to four months in prison.

The prosecution comes despite several high-profile cases in which perpetrators were not charged with blasphemy. In 2006, a Danish newspaper sparked riots in the Muslim world by running political cartoons depicting and criticizing Muhammad. In 1997, an artist burned a Bible on state television without facing charges.

[image via Shutterstock]

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