The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has called for the effective implementation of international law and other collective measures to prevent the desecration of the Quran.

The 57-member organisation made the call following an emergency meeting in Saudi Arabia focusing on sacrilegious acts.

OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha says they must send constant reminders to the international community regarding the urgent application of international law, which clearly prohibits any advocacy of religious hatred.

It comes after a 37-year-old Iraqi immigrant in Sweden, tore up and set alight pages of the Islam’s holy book. The desecration outside the Stockholm Central Mosque coincided with the first day of the Eid al-Adha holidays.

The sacrilegious act sparked international condemnation, including countries in the Middle East summoning their Swedish ambassadors. Iran has gone further and announced that it will not send its new ambassador to Sweden in protest over the anti-Islam incident.

Sweden has a history of allowing anti-Islam protests under the guise of freedom of expression.