Pope Francis has stated that he is disgusted at the video of a man burning the Quran in Sweden, and that he does not consider such action as freedom of speech.

“Every book that is thought to be sacred should be respected so we can respect those who believe in it”, said the Pope in an interview for a UAE newspaper “Al Ittihad” which was published today. “I am angry and disgusted by those actions. Freedom of speech should never be used as a tool to harm others, and allowing such a thing should be completely disregarded.” said the Pope.

Last week, a video was posted of a man burning the Quran in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, which has led to condemnation from many countries, including Turkiye. Sweden needs Turkish support in its bid to join NATO.

Swedish police refused the request to issue permits to local nationalists who wanted to burn the Quran, but the court dismissed these decisions saying it is a right guaranteed by the freedom of speech. A group of 57 Islamic nations stated yesterday that collective measures need to be taken to stop the destroying of the Quran, and international law should do more to stop religious hate.