Swedish prosecutors said on Wednesday they will put two men on trial for setting fire to the Quran in a series of incidents last year that prompted outrage in the Muslim world.
The two men had committed offences of agitation against an ethnic or national group on four separate occasions when burning Islam's holy book outside a mosque and in other public places, the Swedish Prosecution Authority said in a statement.
"Both men are prosecuted for having on these four occasions made statements and treated the Quran in a manner intended to express contempt for Muslims because of their faith," Senior Prosecutor Anna Hankkio said in a statement.
Evidence against the two men, named as Salwan Momika and Salwan Najem, consisted largely of video recordings, Hankkio said.
Lawyers for the two men did not immediately respond to requests for comment when contacted by Reuters.
Momika, a refugee from Iraq, has said he wanted to protest against the institution of Islam and to ban its holy book.
Sweden's migration agency has said it wanted to deport Momika due to false information on his application for residency but that the order would not be carried out because he was at risk of torture in his home country.
Sweden to Prosecute Two Men over Quran Burnings
A Quran is displayed at the Museum of the Frankincense Land in Dhofar Governorate, Oman, August 7, 2024. REUTERS/Rula Rouhana
Sweden to Prosecute Two Men over Quran Burnings
A Quran is displayed at the Museum of the Frankincense Land in Dhofar Governorate, Oman, August 7, 2024. REUTERS/Rula Rouhana
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