Pope Francis said he "rejected and
condemned" the authorization by Swedish authorities of the
burning of the Qur'an in Stockholm last week in an interview
with United Arab Emirates newspaper al-Ittihad published Monday.
"Any book considered holy should be respected to respect those
who believe in it," the pope told the editor Hamad Al Kaabi.
"I feel angry and disgusted at these actions," he continued.
"Freedom of speech should never be used as a means to despise
others and allowing that is rejected and condemned," said the
pontiff.
The authorised Qur'an burning by an Iraqi citizen living in
Sweden outside a Stockholm mosque last Wednesday has sparked an
outcry and protests by Muslims around the world.
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