Jeddah, September 25, 2023, The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly denounced the highly provocative act involving the desecration of a copy of the holy Quran, which occurred on September 23, 2023, in front of the embassies of certain OIC member states located in The Hague, the Netherlands.
In its statement, the General Secretariat reiterated the OIC's established stance, in line with the resolution adopted by the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers during its 18th extraordinary session on July 31, 2023. This resolution had been dedicated to addressing the recurring incidents of desecration of holy Quran copies, and it unequivocally condemns any attempts to defile the sanctity of the Holy Quran, as well as other sacred books, values, and symbols of Islam and other religions, all under the pretext of freedom of expression. Such actions, the OIC emphasizes, run contrary to the principles outlined in articles 19 and 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
The OIC General Secretariat has called upon the Dutch authorities to take decisive measures against such provocative acts that fan the flames of religious animosity, a clear breach of international law, and to ensure that they do not recur in the future.
