Sweden has revoked the residence permit of an Iraqi man who conducted a series of public Holy Quran burning this year. However, his deportation has been temporarily postponed due to concerns for his safety if returned to Iraq.
Quick Read:
- Sweden revoked the residence permit of an Iraqi man who desecrated the Quran publicly.
- His deportation is temporarily on hold due to concerns for his safety if sent back to Iraq.
- The decision followed findings that he provided false information in his asylum application.
- Jesper Tengroth, a spokesperson for Sweden’s Migration Agency, confirmed the revocation of the residence permit and the deportation order being put on hold.
- Tengroth cited the risk of torture and inhuman treatment in the man’s home country as a reason for postponing deportation.
- The man’s actions, including Quran desecration, had caused controversy and angered Muslims in Sweden and abroad.
- Swedish authorities allowed these protests under freedom of speech but raised concerns about potential security threats.
- Preliminary hate speech charges were filed against the man by Swedish police.
- A recent attack targeting Swedes in Brussels raised security concerns, with the attacker citing the Quran as a “red line.”
- The man argued that he was exercising his freedom of speech rights and had no intention of endangering Sweden.
- He plans to appeal the decision to revoke his residence permit, expressing reluctance to return to Iraq.
- The specific false information in his asylum application was not disclosed by Tengroth.
The Associated Press has the story:
Sweden revoked residence permit of Iraqi man who Burned the Holy Quran
Newslooks- STOCKHOLM (AP)
Reportedly, Sweden has revoked the residence permit of an Iraqi man who conducted a series of public Quran burning this year. However, his deportation has been temporarily postponed due to concerns for his safety if returned to Iraq.
Sweden’s Migration Agency made this decision after finding that Salwan Momika had provided false information in his asylum application, according to Swedish broadcaster TV4.
While an order of deportation was issued, it has been put on hold for security reasons, explained a Migration Agency official. Momika was reportedly granted a residence permit in 2021.
Jesper Tengroth, a spokesman for the agency, stated, “The decision was made yesterday and means that this person’s status and residence permit will be revoked and that he will be deported.” Tengroth also highlighted that “this person risks being subjected to torture and inhuman treatment if he returns to his home country. We have therefore decided that there is an obstacle to enforcing the deportation.”
Momika had stirred controversy and angered Muslims in Sweden and abroad with his anti-Islam protests, during which he burned or desecrated the Quran. Swedish authorities allowed these demonstrations, citing freedom of speech, but his actions raised concerns among government and security officials who feared they could make Sweden a target for Islamic extremists.
Additionally, Swedish police filed preliminary hate speech charges against Momika.
Notably, last week, two Swedish soccer fans were killed in Brussels in an attack by a gunman who specifically targeted Swedes, according to Sweden’s prime minister. Belgian authorities reported that the alleged gunman, who was subsequently shot dead by the police, had posted a video online after the attack in which he stated that the Quran was a “red line” for him, for which he was willing to sacrifice himself.
Momika asserted that he did not intend to put Sweden at risk but was exercising his right to criticize Islam under freedom of speech. He expressed his intention to appeal the decision to revoke his residence permit and remarked, “They want me to leave the country. They told me to find a country that can receive me; otherwise, it’s Iraq.”
Momika also denied having provided false information in his asylum application, although specific details regarding the false information were not disclosed by Tengroth.
