Yemen Houthis Boycott Swedish Imports, Protest Burning Qur’an

Sana’a, MINA – Yemen’s Houthi movement, which controls the northern part of the country, banned the import of Swedish goods in protest against the burning of the Qur’an in Stockholm, said the Houthi-run Al Masirah TV.

“Yemen is the first Islamic country to ban the import of Swedish goods after the violation and desecration of the Muslim holy book,” Al Masirah quoted the Houthi trade minister as saying as quoted from the Middle East Monitor, Monday.

The Houthis’ trade minister described Sweden’s imports as “limited”, but said the decision had symbolic value and the ban was the least the Houthis could do. He also called on other Islamic countries to follow suit.

A man named Salwan Momika tore up and burned copy of Qur’an outside Stockholm’s central mosque late last month, on the first day of the Eid al-Adha holiday.

The move sparked protests in Islamic countries, some of which summoned Sweden’s envoy to voice their condemnation.

The Swedish government says it cannot ban demonstrations because of free speech rules. Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said last week the Swedish government was examining whether they could make the burning of the Qur’an or other holy books illegal, because the burning of the Qur’an had undermined Sweden’s security. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)