Maldives has issued a statement strongly condemning the burning of the Holy Quran in front of the Iraqi embassy in Denmark.

On July 21, members of the Islamophobic and far-right group called the Danish Patriots] burned a copy of the Quran in front of Iraq’s embassy in Copenhagen.

They displayed anti-Islamic banners and shouted insulting slogans while disrespectfully handling the Iraqi flag and the Quran.

The event was livestreamed on the Facebook platform of the group.

The video shows the holy book burning in a tin foil tray next to the Iraqi flag on the ground, with two onlookers standing and talking next to it.

In a statement on Monday, the Maldivian Foreign Ministry said that the recurrence of the despicable act - which it said is driven by hate and ignorance - cannot be justified under the guise of freedom of expression.

It said that while the world has made significant strides toward eradicating racism, xenophobia, and discrimination, allowing such despicable acts of hate crimes only serves to foster an atmosphere of fear, intolerance, and distrust among communities, rendering years of progress futile.

“It is high time that the international community unite unequivocally to condemn these appalling acts of religious hatred against Islam,” said the ministry. “We must stand together against hatred, bigotry, and discrimination, and work towards building a world where every individual can coexist in peace.”

Maldives made an urgent call upon the international community to address the issue collectively, and take strong measures to stop the recurrence of such acts of religious hatred against Islam.