Salwan Momika, the Iraqi activist infamous for his Quran-burning protests in Sweden, has reportedly being shot dead. The Swedish media are highlighting that Salwan Momika died from gunshot wounds after being found at his home in Hovsjo, Sodertalje, on the night of 29th of January. Salwan Momika, 38, was a Iraqi Christian who had gained global attention for his actions in 2023, where he carried out multiple Quran burnings, sparking outrage in several Muslim-majority countries.
His actions, labeled as anti-Islam by many, were defended by Salwan Momika and his followers as protests against the religion of Islam, not Muslims. He argued that his goal was to protect the people of Sweden from what he viewed as harmful messages in the Quran. Despite the protests being allowed by Swedish police under the principle of freedom of speech, he still faced legal charges, including one for incitement to racial hatred. Salwan Momika’s protest against Quran was marked by many as just and practise of free speech.
Salwan Momika’s case had been pending in court, where he and a co-defendant were set to face a verdict regarding their incitement charges. In addition to his public protests, Salwan Momika’s past was marked by his involvement in Iraq’s tumultuous history. Raised as an Assyrian Catholic, he became a part of the Popular Mobilization Forces during the Islamic State’s rise in 2014. He later fled to Germany and, in 2018, sought asylum in Sweden, where he was granted a temporary residence permit.
Salwan Momika had been threatened in Iraq, which halted his deportation despite efforts to expel him. His death has added to the ongoing debate over freedom of speech and the limits of protest in Europe. While one side, we look at the Islamists taking over the streets of Europe and unleashing worst crimes including Grooming Jihad and on the other, people are being shot dead who dare to protest against extremism.
