Iraqi Bar Association’s denunciation statement on the heinous act of burning the Holy Qur’an and the Iraqi flag in Sweden
Cases of intended insult to the Muslim public throughout the world, provoking their feelings, and assaulting their holiest sanctities, by violating the sanctity of the Holy Qur’an are still being repeated ; followed by the assault on the symbol of national sovereignty, and the sanctity of the great flag of the Republic of Iraq.
It is unfortunate that some people interpret the issue as being guaranteed on the basis of freedom of opinion and expression. However, we affirm that these condemned and reprehensible acts are not included within this interpretation. The overlap between the concepts of freedom of expression, hate speech, incitement to discrimination, hostility, and violence should not mislead people of sound mind, especially since international conventions and treaties, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in its Article 19, affirm that ensuring freedom of opinion and expression must entail special duties and responsibilities and must be subjected to some restrictions, namely: the rights or reputations of others, protection of national security and public order, public health and public morals. While these actions are only a true expression of hate speech defined by the United Nations as “any kind of communication in speech, writing or behavior, that attacks or uses derogatory or discriminatory language with reference to a person or group on the basis of who they are, in other words, on the basis of their religion, race, nationality, ethnicity, color, ancestry, gender or any other identity factor.”
The Iraqi Bar Association,bedside denouncing and condemning these reprehensible and condemned acts, calls on the Iraqi government to take legal and diplomatic measures to restore dignity and stop repeated violations and abuses .
The Association supports the government in its orientations and stands with its effective steps in this regard; also is ready to adopt international legal procedures and to form a team of specialized Iraqi lawyers to play these roles
We ask Allah to turn back the plot of the aggressors,and to increase the elevation and loftiness of the entire Islamic nation, as well as to make the enemies of Iraq fail, wherever they are.
Ahlam Al-Lami
President of the Iraqi Bar Association
