ABTTF at the OSCE Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) participated between 4 and 5 May 2009 in Vienna in the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting: hate crimes - effective implementation of legislation organized by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization of Security and Cooperation for Europe (OSCE). At the meeting held at Hofburg Convention Center, the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace was represented by Fatma Resit, member of ABTTF International Affairs Department and Sinan Kavaz, Executive Board member of the Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association and Pervin Hayrullah, ex-member of the Executive Board of the Association.

Greece is incompetent at fighting against hate crimes

At the round table discussion, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) shared their ideas regarding the structural and systematic barriers against the definition of hate crimes and ways to combat the defined barriers. Representatives of the NGOs underlined the need not only to formulate special laws to guarantee the human rights of the minorities but also to assure their implementation.

“Greek Nation” expression in the Code of Police Ethics is a discriminatory expression

Fatma Resit from ABTTF underlined at the second session held on 5 May 2009 with the title “Improving the Policing and Prosecution of Hate Crimes” that hate crimes did not target one individual but rather exercised against a community. Accordingly, Resit underlined the importance of a well-educated, objective and detached police force, adding that Greece was incompetent at fighting hate crimes. Furthermore Resit said that “Article 1 of the Code of Police Ethics Law no: 254 dated 2004 states the duty of the police to serve Greek nation and act in accordance with the Constitutional Law and other laws”. Thus, Resit stated that instead of Greek citizens, usage of Greek nation was an implicit discrimination on ethnical basis.

Additionally, ABTTF presented the written statement that focused on the regulations regarding hate crimes in Greece and hate speeches and the increasing number of physical attacks targeting the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace.

Halit Hapipoglu, President of ABTTF, stated that “ABTTF with its presentation at the meeting reiterated the problems stemming from the discrimination on ethnic bases in Greece to the attention of international community. The Greek Delegation did not make any objection to the presentation of ABTTF which clearly shows the justness of ABTTF arguments”.