Following the Quran burning by a man in Sweden in late June, the Swedish government has received heat throughout the World. Yemen’s Houthi group bans Swedish imports as a response to this act. As Muslims celebrated Eid al-Adha on June 28, Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee who came to Sweden a number of years ago, tore up and lit on fire pages of the Islamic holy book.
Yemen’s Houthi Group Bans Swedish Imports
According to the Houthi-run Almasirah TV, the Yemeni Houthi movement has put a ban on Swedish imports as part of ongoing protests against the burning of a Quran by a man in Sweden in late June.
Muhammad Sharaf al-Mutahhar, the commerce minister for the Houthis, said the ban took effect on Saturday after initially being announced on July 4 and he invited other Muslim nations to follow their lead.
As part of ongoing demonstrations against the burning of a Quran by a man in Sweden in late June, the Houthi movement in Yemen, according to the Houthi-run Almasirah TV, has banned imports from Sweden. The Houthis’ minister of commerce, Muhammad Sharaf al-Mutahhar, claimed the ban went into effect on Saturday after first being declared on July 4. He urged other Muslim countries to do the same.
According to the Houthi trade minister, “Yemen is the first Islamic country to forbid imports of Swedish goods after its violations and desecration.” A meeting was also held in Jeddah Saudia Arabia following the Quran burning that discussed on creating laws to protect such hateful crimes against a religion.
The organization’s Department of Trademarks and Commercial Agencies compiled a list of 100 Swedish brands and 30 Swedish agencies that should be avoided. The decision to forbid the import of Swedish goods was approved by the Council of Ministers, according to the commerce minister, and a committee had been set up to help carry it out.
“Any Swedish goods that reach the customs outlets will be subject to arrest, but after meeting with the private sector, we have seen a great response to the decision,” claimed al-Mutahhar.
The Houthis, who overthrew the Saudi-backed government in Sanaa in late 2014, are the de facto rulers of northern Yemen, with the Political Leadership Council (PLC), which was established last year, serving as the representative of the internationally recognized government.
As Muslims celebrated Eid al-Adha on June 28, Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee who came to Sweden a few years ago, tore up and lit on fire pages of the Islamic holy book. Governments in the Middle East and North Africa immediately reacted negatively, with many issuing stern comments and summoning Swedish ambassadors to their nations.
However, given the little trade between the two nations, the Houthi group in Yemen is the first to do so. The group’s minister called the gesture a symbolic one.
The resolution to boycott Swedish, Danish, Dutch, American, and Israeli goods was passed by the Council of Ministers back in January of this year in response to a prior Quran-burning event in Sweden by far-right Danish lawmaker Rasmus Paludan, who holds both citizenships. The council has put in place procedures to enforce the prohibitions.
Yemen imported $26.18 million from Sweden in 2019, according to the latest recent data from the UN’s COMTRADE database on global commerce.
Additionally, the first quarter of this year saw a 28 percent increase in Swedish shipments to Yemen compared to the same period in 2022, according to Sweden’s official statistics agency.
Vehicles are the largest Swedish export to Yemen, followed by timber and electronics.
Sayyed Abdulmalik, the head of the Houthis, claimed in a television speech broadcast on Almasirah TV that if Muslim nations collectively boycott Sweden, it may serve as a “lesson for others” and have a significant impact. He asserted that the bare minimum response to the “crime” of Quran burning is to break off diplomatic ties and impose an economic blockade on Sweden.
Conclusion
The Swedish government has been receiving heat from the Muslim community as well as other concerned citizens for allowing a person to burn the Quran. Although there are some who are protecting Salwan Momika saying that it is freedom of speech. But overall, the number of protests throughout the Wolrd is increasing.
As a response to this act, Yemen’s Houthi Group Bans Swedish Imports. Yemen is the first country to ban Swedish imports and there is a possibility for other countries to follow Yemen’s lead. But the Swedish government apologized to the World a few days ago for allowing this act.