LONDON: The desecration of the Holy Qur鈥檃n is a crime and will be penalized in Russia, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

During a visit to Derbent in the Muslim-majority Dagestan Autonomous Republic, Putin said despite other countries failing to respect the sanctity of the Qur鈥檃n, it would always be respected in Russia.

鈥淚n our country, this is a crime both according to the Constitution and the penal code,鈥� he said as he received a copy of the holy book during a visit to the historic mosque of Derbent, where he met Muslim representatives from Dagestan.

鈥淭he Qur鈥檃n is sacred for Muslims and should be sacred for others,鈥� he said as he thanked the representatives for the gift. 鈥淲e will always abide by these rules.鈥�

Putin鈥檚 comments came as a man tore up and burned a copy of the Qur鈥檃n outside Stockholm鈥檚 central mosque on Wednesday, drawing widespread condemnation from 萝莉视频 and other Muslim nations.

鈥淭hese hateful and repeated acts cannot be accepted with any justification, and they clearly incite hatred, exclusion and racism, and directly contradict international efforts seeking to spread the values 鈥嬧€媜f tolerance, moderation and rejection of extremism, and undermine the necessary mutual respect for relations between peoples and states,鈥� a Saudi foregin ministry statement said.

Swedish police later charged the man with agitation against an ethnic or national group.