ABTTF prepared a parallel report to US 2013 Human Rights Report on Greece

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) has prepared a parallel report in response to U.S. Department of State on its Greece 2013 Human Rights Report published in March. The par-allel report has been communicated to corresponding authorities.

Last year the Minority's population was indicated as 150.000, this year it is 120.000

In the report, where Turkish Minority of Western Thrace was cited as “Muslim Minority in Thrace”, ABTTF underlined the fact that Turkish Minority of Western Thrace’s status and rights had been defined by the Lausanne Peace Treaty signed in 1923 and the Minority, exempted from population exchange, were recognized “Turk” on the “etabli” documents and international documents attesting the ethnic origin of the respective Minority. ABTTF noted the inconsistency of figures in the U.S. report which expresses the Minority as composed of three ethnic groups, such as Turkish, Pomak and Romani, and amounts to a population of 120.000 whereas this was indicated as 150.000 last year.

It has been six years the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights are not executed

In response to the U.S. Report on human rights in Greece for 2013, which uttered the difficulties faced by the Minority members because of the blockage for the associations bearing the word “Turk” in their titles, ABTTF provided an in-depth explanation regarding the trial process at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). Furthermore, it has been noted that despite the six years elapsed Greece does not execute ECtHR jurisdiction on dissolved and non-registered associa-tions established by Turkish Minority of Western Thrace.

The Minority has been deprived of the right to choose its religious leaders

The U.S. Report lines up criticism to Greece on Mufti’s competences within Sharia law in Western Thrace and stresses the incompatibility of Sharia law with the Constitution and international stan-dards thus, recommends to limit the powers of Muftis only to their religious duties. ABTTF ex-plained the Mufti problem in details and underlined under the reasoning that Muftis implement Sharia law therefore they were to be appointed by the Greek State, the Minority has been deprived of the right to choose its own religious leaders by the unilateral decision of the state.

Having uncovered the legal powers of appointed Muftis grounded in Athens Treaty signed in 1913, ABTTF emphasized Greece cannot unilaterally abrogate these powers and currently every decision made in terms of family and civil law by the appointed Muftis have to approve by civil courts.


Minority radio broadcasters and newspapers are under threat

Given the fact that the problems regarding freedom of expression and media were not covered at all by the U.S. Report, ABTTF raised Greek National Council for Radio and Television warned the ra-dios broadcasting in Turkish in Western Thrace, Radio City, Çınar FM and JOY FM through an of-ficial notice and explained in details that the current media legislation threatens press and media freedom. Regarding press freedom, ABTTF provided details on Hara Nikopoulou trial where Gündem and Millet, the Minority dailies, were charged with illicit fines of compensation and the lat-est state of the trial.

The Minority is targeted by the extreme right!

Regarding hate motivated crimes, ABTTF provided instances of hate speech and hate attacks per-petuated by Golden Dawn members or supporters against Muslims. Furthermore, it has been ex-pressed that Turkish Minority of Western Thrace, which is living on these territories for centuries, has become target of the Golden Dawn. In parallel report, ABTTF provided detailed evidence of the hate speech and attacks towards the Minority.