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☆ Iraq jails police for failing to halt torching of Swedish embassy after Koran burning
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An Iraqi demonstrator holds the Koran during a protest near the Green Zone against the burning of a copy of the Koran and the Iraqi flag in the Swedish capital Stockholm, in Baghdad, Iraq July 22, 2023. REUTERS/Khalid Al-Mousily/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBAGHDAD, Sept 13 (Reuters) - An Iraqi court sentenced 18 police officers to prison after they were found guilty of failing to prevent protesters from setting fire to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in July over a planned Koran burning in Stockholm. It says the officers were convicted of "abstaining from their duties to protect the Swedish embassy and to stop the persons who stormed and set fire to it". Hundreds of protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in July and set it on fire over a planned Koran burning in Stockholm. Anti-Islam protesters, one of whom is an Iraqi immigrant to Sweden who burned the Koran outside a Stockholm mosque in June, had applied for and received permission from Swedish police to burn the Koran outside the Iraqi embassy.

Persons: Khalid Al, Ahmed Rasheed, Timour, Nick Macfie Organizations: Green, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Iraqi, Swedish, Stockholm, Baghdad, Iraq, Rights BAGHDAD, Sweden

☆ Iraq bans media from using term ‘homosexuality’, says they must use ‘sexual deviance’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An Iraqi national flag is seen near Iraqi embassy ahead of a demonstration in Stockholm, Sweden July 20, 2023. TT News Agency/Caisa Rasmussen via REUTERS/File PhotoAug 8 (Reuters) - Iraq's official media regulator on Tuesday ordered all media and social media companies operating in the Arab state not to use the term "homosexuality" and instead to say "sexual deviance," the regulator said. The Iraqi Communications and Media Commission (CMC) said in a statement that the use of the term "gender" was also banned. It prohibited all phone and internet companies licensed by it from using the terms in any of their mobile applications. The regulator "directs media organisations ... not to use the term 'homosexuality' and to use the correct term 'sexual deviance'," the Arabic-language statement said.

Persons: Caisa Rasmussen, Timour Azhari, Omar Abdel, Angus MacSwan Organizations: TT News Agency, REUTERS, Iraqi Communications and Media Commission, Thomson Locations: Iraqi, Stockholm, Sweden, Iraq, Denmark, Razek, Cairo

☆ Sweden says it's target of Russia-backed disinformation over NATO, Koran burnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Police stand guard near the Iraqi embassy ahead of a demonstration in Stockholm, Sweden July 20, 2023. "We can see how Russia-backed actors are amplifying incorrect statements such as that the Swedish state is behind the desecration of holy scriptures," he said. "That is, naturally, completely false," Bohlin said, adding that such state actors tried to "create division and weaken Sweden's international standing." "The Swedish state does not issue permissions to burn copies of the Koran. Denmark and Sweden have said they deplore the burning of the Koran but cannot prevent it under rules protecting free speech.

Persons: Supantha Mukherjee, Sweden's, Carl, Oskar Bohlin, Bohlin, Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson, Mikael Ostlund, Susanna Trehorning, Simon Johnson, Johan Ahlander, Anne Kauranen, William Maclean Organizations: Police, REUTERS, NATO, Civil Defence, Facebook, Psychological Defence Agency, SVT, Thomson Locations: Stockholm, Sweden, STOCKHOLM, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Swedish, Denmark, Baghdad, Turkey, Helsinki

☆ Protesters burn Koran in front of Egyptian embassy in Denmark
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

COPENHAGEN, July 25 (Reuters) - Five anti-Islam activists set fire to a Koran in front of the Egyptian embassy in Copenhagen on Tuesday, the third such incident in Denmark in less than a week, following Koran burnings in nearby Sweden that enraged Muslims. Denmark and Sweden have said they deplore the burning of the Koran but cannot prevent it under rules protecting free speech. Last week, protesters in Iraq set the Swedish embassy in Baghdad ablaze. Tuesday's demonstration in Copenhagen by a group called "Danish Patriots" followed Koran burnings the group staged on Monday and last week in front of the Iraqi embassy. Iraq's foreign ministry on Monday called on authorities of European Union countries to "quickly reconsider so-called freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate" in light of the Koran burnings.

Persons: Trine Baumbach, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Terje Solsvik Organizations: Patriots, European Union, Islam, University of Copenhagen, Reuters, Thomson Locations: COPENHAGEN, Copenhagen, Denmark, Sweden, Iraq, Swedish, Baghdad, European, Turkey

☆ Two protesters burn Koran in front of Iraqi embassy in Denmark
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Protesters from the "Danish Patriots" demonstrate in front of the Iraqi embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark July 24, 2023 Ritzau Scanpix/Thomas Sjoerup/via REUTERSCOPENHAGEN, July 24 (Reuters) - Two protesters set fire to a copy of the Koran, Islam's holy book, in front of the Iraqi embassy in the Danish capital on Monday, risking a further deterioration of relations between the two countries. Protests have raged across Iran and Iraq after Denmark and Sweden allowed the burning of the Koran under rules protecting free speech. Protesters in Iraq set alight the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on Thursday. The two protesters were from a group that calls itself "Danish Patriots", which held a similar demonstration last week and livestreamed the events on Facebook. The organiser of Monday's demonstration in Copenhagen stomped on the Koran and set it alight in a tin foil tray next to the Iraqi flag on the ground.

Persons: Ritzau Scanpix, Thomas Sjoerup, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Terje Solsvik, Nick Macfie Organizations: Danish Patriots, REUTERS, Protesters, Facebook, Nordic, Iranian, Thomson Locations: Copenhagen, Denmark, REUTERS COPENHAGEN, Iran, Iraq, Sweden, Baghdad, Copenhagen stomped

☆ Swedish embassy in Baghdad stormed, set alight over Quran burning plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr gather for a protest outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on July 20, 2023. Hundreds of protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in central Baghdad early on Thursday, scaling its walls and setting it ablaze in protest against the expected burning of a Quran in Sweden. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said embassy staff were safe but that Iraqi authorities had failed in their responsibility to protect the embassy in accordance with the Vienna Convention. Swedish police denied several applications earlier this year for protests that were set to include burning the Quran, citing security concerns. "Yes, yes to the Quran," protesters chanted.

Persons: Moqtada al, Sadr, Tobias Billstrom, Muqtada Sadr, STT Organizations: Swedish, Vienna Convention, TT, Telegram Locations: Swedish, Baghdad, Sweden, Vienna, Finnish, Stockholm, Iraqi

CNN —Hundreds of protesters stormed the main gates of the Swedish embassy in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad early Thursday in response to police in Stockholm granting permission for a demonstration were organizers are reportedly planning another burning of the Muslim holy book, the Quran. Videos posted on social media showed a large number of protesters inside the Swedish embassy’s perimeter as well as black smoke and fire coming from the building. According to AFP, Swedish police said Wednesday they had granted a permit for a protest outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, with media reporting the organizers planned to burn the Muslim holy book. Stockholm police told AFP they had granted a permit for a “public gathering” outside the Iraqi embassy but did not wish to give further comments on what the protesters were planning. A large number of protesters breached the Swedish embassy in Baghdad early Thursday.

Persons: ” Organizations: CNN, AFP, Swedish, Swedish Embassy, Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs Locations: Swedish, Baghdad, Stockholm, Sweden, Stockholm’s, Iraq

Swedish news agency TT reported on Wednesday that Swedish police granted an application for a public meeting outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm on Thursday. "Yes, yes to the Koran," protesters chanted. [1/5]Protesters clash with security forces members as they gather near the Swedish embassy in Baghdad hours after the embassy was stormed and set on fire ahead of an expected Koran burning in Stockholm, in Baghdad, Iraq, July 20, 2023. Late last month, Sadr called for protests against Sweden and the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador after the Koran burning in Stockholm by an Iraqi man. Two major protests took place outside of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in the aftermath of that Koran burning, with protesters breaching the embassy grounds on one occasion.

Persons: Muqtada Sadr, Baghdad's, Ahmed Saad, Sadr, Timour Azhari, Anna Ringstrom, Tom Hogue Organizations: Telegram, REUTERS, Sweden, United Arab, United, Thomson Locations: BAGHDAD, STOCKHOLM, Swedish, Baghdad, Sweden, Stockholm, Iraq, Iraqi, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Morocco, United States, Lincoln

Hundreds of protesters stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad early Thursday and set fire to parts of it ahead of a demonstration outside the Iraqi Embassy in Sweden, where recent Quran burnings have inflamed anger in the Muslim world. At the latest demonstration in Sweden on Thursday, Mr. Momika and another protester kicked around copies of the Quran and stomped on a replica of the Iraqi flag. In response, Iraq’s prime minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, expelled the Swedish ambassador and directed Iraq’s chargé d’affairs to withdraw from the Iraqi embassy in Sweden, a government spokesman said. The severing of diplomatic relations came “in response to the repeated permission of the Swedish government to burn the Noble Qur’an, insult Islamic sanctities and burn the Iraqi flag,” Mr. al-Sudani said in a tweet. The Iraqi government also suspended the operating license in the country of the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson.

Persons: Salwan, Eid, Momika, Mohammed Shia, Iraq’s, d’affairs, Mr, Sudani Organizations: Iraqi Embassy, Ericsson Locations: Swedish, Baghdad, Iraqi, Sweden, Stockholm

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said staff at the Swedish embassy in Baghdad were safe but Iraqi authorities had failed in their responsibility to protect the embassy. Thursday's demonstration was called by supporters of Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to protest at the second planned Koran burning in Sweden in weeks, according to posts in a Telegram group linked to the influential cleric and other pro-Sadr media. He stood by the embassy storming on Thursday, telling a press conference the U.S. "has no right to condemn the burning of the Swedish embassy but should have condemned the burning of the Koran". "Yes, yes to the Koran," protesters chanted. Sweden has seen several Koran burnings in recent years, mostly by far-right and anti-Muslim activists.

Persons: Tobias Billstrom, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Mohammed Shia Al, Billstrom, Muqtada al, Moqtada al, Read, Tayyip Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, Timour Azhari, Anna Ringstrom, Supantha Mukherjee, Johan Ahlander, Marie, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Ahmed Rasheed, Tom Hogue, Tom Perry, Lincoln, Bernadette Baum, William Maclean, Alison Williams, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: NATO, Sweden's Ericsson, State Department, Telegram, Turkish, Sweden's, Islam, Marie Mannes, Thomson Locations: Iraq, BAGHDAD, STOCKHOLM, Swedish, Stockholm, Baghdad, Iraqi, Sweden, Tehran, Turkey, Washington, Sadr, Copenhagen

☆ Iraq-Iran gas-for-oil barter would likely violate US sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Arshad Mohammed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

However, three former U.S. officials said a barter would likely run afoul of U.S. sanctions. There has been speculation the waiver might be amended to allow barter, an issue the official declined to address. We have no comment at this time regarding reports of a barter arrangement between Iraq and Iran," the official said. Former U.S. officials said the Treasury Department, which oversees most U.S. sanctions against Iran, defines the term "transaction" so broadly that it would cover a barter exchange. "As far as a strictly legal question, it absolutely does violate U.S. sanctions," he added.

Persons: Mohammed Shia, Sudani, Richard Goldberg, Goldberg, Antony Blinken, that's, Arshad Mohammed, Josie Kao Organizations: Iraqi, Foundation for Defense, Democracies, Trump, State Department, Iran, U.S, Treasury Department, Treasury, Thomson Locations: Tehran, U.S, Iraq, Iran, Baghdad, Iraqi, Washington

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