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Pope Francis said he was outraged by the burning of a copy of the Koran in Sweden, adding that the use of freedom of expression as an excuse for disregarding others must be rejected and condemned.
“Any book considered sacred by its authors must be respected out of respect for its believers,” the pope said in an interview with the Emirati newspaper Al Ittihad, and published on Monday.
“I am outraged and disgusted by these actions,” Pope Francis said.
“Free speech should never be used as an excuse to look down on others, and allowing it should be rejected and condemned,” he added.
Last week, a man tore up and burned a copy of the Koran outside Stockholm’s Great Mosque during a police-sanctioned protest, an event that drew strong condemnation from several countries.
The Swedish government also condemned this “Islamophobic” act on Sunday.
“We strongly condemn these acts, which in no way reflect the views of the Swedish government,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
