Attacks on Islam’s holy book, the Quran, cannot be defended with the excuse of freedom of expression because they target social peace and stability, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday as he received a delegation from the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO).
Erdoğan asked the council to tell the U.S. Congress and other political circles about the dangers of Islamophobia during the meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
"I would also like to express my gratitude for your work and solidarity regarding the Feb. 6 earthquake disaster," he also said, referring to the twin quakes whose epicenter was in southern Kahramanmaraş province.
The U.S. Muslim community’s donations worth $100 million (TL 2.68 billion) for the earthquake victims have manifested Islamic solidarity, Erdoğan noted.
"Our ummah’s stand against Islamophobia, intolerance and discrimination, and its unity are vital in the fight against this threat," he added.
Pointing out the importance of the task undertaken by the council to explain the proper understanding of Islam based on tolerance and brotherhood, Erdoğan said: "Your strength as a Muslim community in America sets an example for the entire Islamic world and constitutes a source of strength and inspiration."
‘Hate crime and barbarism’
Stressing that Türkiye has expressed on every occasion that it does not accept attacks against the Quran in Europe under the guise of "freedom of expression," the president said: "This is a clear hate crime and barbarism."
"We see once again in every incident how much those who turn a blind eye to these attacks against Islam and Muslims have internalized humanitarian values," he added.
The adoption of resolutions at the United Nations General Assembly and the Human Rights Council that consider all acts of violence against holy books a violation of international law are important developments, Erdoğan told the USCMO delegation.
"Of course, it is obvious that we need to ensure that these decisions are reflected in practice. As Türkiye, we continue to call on the relevant countries to take the necessary measures against those who commit these hate crimes."
Erdoğan also called on the delegation to raise awareness of the dangers of Islamophobia in political circles.
"Many of you have access to political circles in America. You play important roles in terms of social peace and stability. You have representatives in local and federal politics. Using this influence, you can effectively inform all political circles, especially the American Congress, that attacks on the holy Quran cannot be defended under the excuse of freedom of expression and that they target social peace and stability," he underlined.
"I believe that your support will be useful in neutralizing the smear campaigns of anti-Türkiye lobbies. I also expect your contributions in conveying the facts about the terrorist organizations PKK/YPG and FETÖ to the American public," he added.
For his part, USCMO Secretary-General Oussama Jammal expressed his honor and satisfaction to be received by Erdoğan.
"We came here today to congratulate you. You have won a historic election victory," Jammal said.
"This election victory is not just a victory for you or Türkiye. It is essentially a victory for the entire Muslim world."
Since earlier this year, the Muslim world has been outraged at a series of incidents where far-right politicians and activists torched copies of the Quran across various Western European countries, most notably in Sweden, where several of the burnings took place in front of mosques or the embassies of Muslim countries like Türkiye and Iraq.
The rising trend of Islamophobia is a growing cause for alarm in the continent, with Turkish minorities, Turkish officials in Ankara and Muslim spokespeople calling on European states to escalate measures against hate crimes.