Parallel report by ABTTF on the US 2017 International Religious Freedom Report on Greece

ABTTF conveys in its parallel report the problems of the Western Thrace Turkish community in the field of religious freedom.

The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) prepared a parallel report on the Greece 2017 International Religious Freedom Report released by the Department of State of the United States of America (US) on 30 May 2018 and delivered it to the competent US authorities. In its parallel report, ABTTF articulates in detail the problems of the Western Thrace Turkish community in the field of religious freedom, which has religious autonomy under the 1913 Treaty of Athens and 1923 Treaty of Lausanne.

In its parallel report, ABTTF indicates that the right of the Turkish community in Western Thrace to elect its own religious leaders, i.e. muftis, has been bereaved by Greece, adding that since 1991, the Greek government has been appointing the muftis, but the Western Thrace Turks have been objecting to this and electing their own muftis who however have not been recognized by the Greek government.

ABTTF notes that in the recent time, oppression and intimidation policy has been imposed through legal proceedings against İbrahim Şerif, Chairman of the Consultative Committee of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace (BTTADK) and Elected Mufti of Komotini and Ahmet Mete, Elected Mufti of Xanthi. ABTTF also notes that the elected muftis were called to bear testimony many times on the ground of “usurpation of mufti office”. On the other hand, ABTTF states that there is an ongoing case filed against Şerif, and Mete was sentenced to 7 months of imprisonment with 3 years of suspension on 13 November 2017.

ABTTF underlines that despite all rejections by the Turkish community in Western Thrace, the Law 4115/2013 known as “240 İmams Law” is insistently continued to be implemented by the Greek government, ABTTF notes that religious instructors affiliated to the appointed muftis have been trained to teach Islam in Greek language to the children belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace and also course books in Greek language have been prepared, adding that lastly in August 2017, an advertisement was made for recruitment of 120 Islamic religious instructors.

ABTTF in its parallel report articulates that the members of the Turkish community in Western Thrace have been granted the right to make a preference between the Greek courts and muftis about marriage, divorce and heritage and sharia mandates of muftis have been restricted under the law adopted by the Greek Parliament by majority of votes on 9 January 2018.

As regards the foundations (waqfs) belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace, ABTTF indicats that the law enacted in 2008 has not resolved the problems related to the foundations and notes that the Greek government has continued to assign the administrative boards of foundations through appointment.

ABTTF in its parallel report also refers to the ongoing problem of bilingual minority kindergartens and states that despite all demands from the Turkish community in Western Thrace, the Greek government does not allow for opening of bilingual minority kindergartens in the region which would teach both in Turkish and Greek languages, and thus, the children belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace are forced to attend public kindergartens in which the language of instruction is only Greek. Besides ABTTF notes that the Greek government enacted the pilot project regarding kindergarten education with translator in six public elementary schools in Western Thrace and expresses that it was announced in May 2018 that two new public kindergartens will be opened in the Turkish villages of Asamatos (Bulatköy) und Hamilo (Salıncak).

In its parallel report, ABTTF calls on the Greek government to ensure that the Turkish community in Western Thrace enjoys its right to elect its own religious leaders which are muftis and to repeal the Law 4115/2013 known as “240 Imams Law”. ABTTF also urges the Greek authorities to stop intimidation and deterrence against the elected muftis.