Sri Lanka condemns the burning of the Holy Quran

Sri Lanka today condemned the burning of the sacred text of Islam—the Holy Quran—outside a mosque in Sweden during Eid al-Adha, celebrated by Muslims worldwide.

The Foreign Ministry issued a statement this evening saying that the exercise of freedom of expression carries with it the responsibility to exercise this right in a manner that respects the rights of others and to ensure that it does not give licence to create divisions and hatred based on religion.

In the interest of national and international peace and harmony, all countries and individuals have an obligation to prevent acts of religious intolerance and hatred that lead to polarisation among communities.