Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman censured on Tuesday the comments by NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, on burning a copy of holy Qur’an stressing that respect for people’s religious beliefs is a duty and not an option.

Maria Zakharova condemned burning a copy of holy Qur’an by Swedish-Danish far-right leader of Stram Kurs Party and that her statements are critical of Stoltenberg who considered the heinous act as merely “indecent and illegal”.
 
The Russian spokeswoman cited several international treaties that oblige the signatory countries to address acts of intolerance and discrimination.
 
"These treaties expressly state that the right to freedom of expression does not mean the right to make critical statements, or even to disparage any religion or religious practice," she said, stressing that the West is "simply obligated to respect the right of hundreds of millions of people to their sacred beliefs".
 
Rasums Paludan burned a copy of the Holy Qur'an outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm on Saturday, amid tight police protection that prevented anyone from approaching him while committing the provocative act.