Erdogan: Attacks on sacred values cannot be considered 'freedom of thought'

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned the burning of a copy of the Muslim holy book, the Quran, in Sweden last week, saying attacks on sacred values "cannot be characterized as freedom of thought".

"All those scandalous attacks on our mosques and holy book can not be accepted," Erdogan said after a Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara on Monday.

Earlier, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said such incidents could damage the country's "good image" into a bad one "if it continues to be portrayed as Islamophobic."

Speaking to local daily Sydsvenskan on Monday, Billstrom also said it is "difficult to predict what the consequences will be in the process of Sweden's NATO membership approval,” drawing attention to Türkiye’s reservations in ratifying Sweden’s accession to NATO.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry on Sunday condemned the burning of a copy of the Quran outside the Stockholm Central Mosque on June 28, the first day of the Muslim festival of Eid al Adha.

"In Sweden, freedom of expression enjoys strong protection. But naturally this does not mean that the Government supports every opinion that is expressed. Public gatherings that are entirely legal can also be polarizing and offensive," the ministry said.

It added: "Demonstrations like that held on Wednesday are just that. And they also have serious consequences for Sweden’s internal safety and security."​​​​​​​

Violence, bloodshed in France

Erdogan also expressed that Türkiye hopes recent events in the wake of last week’s fatal police shooting in France will come to an end "as soon as possible," cutting short the escalating cycle of violence.

Türkiye is concerned that these events will lead to a "new wave of pressure and intimidation" of immigrants and Muslims, he added.

"The events that began in France and shortly thereafter spread to other countries have their roots in the societal architecture that this mindset has created," Erdogan stressed.

“In countries known for their colonial past, cultural racism has turned into institutional racism."

Protests have shaken France since last Tuesday, when a police officer shot Nahel Merzouk, a 17-year-old of Algerian descent, during a traffic check in the Paris suburb of Nanterre after he allegedly ignored orders to stop.

French police arrested 157 people overnight in nationwide protests over the police killing, local media reported on Monday.

The officer who shot Nahel faces an official investigation for voluntary homicide and has been placed in preliminary detention.