Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) submitted a written statement entitled “The Freedom of Religion and Conscience of the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace (Greece) and the Problem of the Law of ‘Appointed’ Imams" to the 10th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council from 2 to 27 March 2009 in Geneva.
Greece clearly violates the freedom of religion and conscience of the Turkish Minority
ABTTF carried the “Appointed Imams” problem to the agenda of the United Nations. After the adoption of the law 3536/2007 in February 2007, the problem emerged as a committee consisting of five Christians was nominated to choose all of the imams who are to serve as public servants in mosques. In the written statement, it is stated that the law violated the principle of Lausanne Treaty that says “the Minority manages its own religious institutions”.
In the written statement, ABTTF demands full guarantee for the maintenances and protection of Western Thrace Turkish minority’s rights to manage and control its own religious institutions. Meanwhile, it is underlined in the release that although the Greek State pays the salaries of the Orthodox Church ecclesiastics, it does not have the authorization to appoint those ecclesiastics. Thus, it is an obvious violation of freedom of religion when the Greek state appoints Imams and Muftis.
ABTTF demands the immediate suspension of the regarding. In the written statement, it is mentioned that freedom of religion and conscience was guaranteed by international treaties that Greece was also a party to, by bilateral treaties between Turkey and Greece and by the Greek constitution, and it is called upon Greece to give an end to the dichotomy, not the coexistence with regard to the post of muftis in Western Thrace and to recognize the Muftis elected by the minority.
Expressing his views, Halit Habipoglu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe said, “We call upon Greece to immediately suspend the implementation of the regarding law. We have mentioned many times that we are for the solution of the problem in our country Greece rather than before international bodies. Yet, due to Greece’s hesitancy to conduct dialogue with the Minority, the solution of the problems the Minority faces becomes impossible”.
The full text of the written statement can be retrieved here.
Please click here to read the full text of the written statement.
