U.S. Department of State released 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices on 25 February 2009. In Greece’s country report, it is stated that although Greece “generally” respects the human rights of its citizens, many problems in several areas including limits on the ability of ethnic minority groups to self identify, discrimination and social exclusion of ethnic minorities are mentioned.
Freedom of Association
It is mentioned in the report that the Greek government prohibited associations that used the term “Turkish” in their names. Yet, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in March 2008 that Greece was violating the freedom of association of the Muslim Turkish minority by banning the Xanthi Turkish Union founded in 1927. On top of that ECHR also ruled against the government’s refusal to register the Cultural Association of Turkish Women of Rodopi.
Freedom of Religion
As for the problem of Muftis, it is stated in the report that the government selects three “official” Muslim religious leaders (muftis), and while a part of the community accepts the officially “appointed muftis”, some Muslims recognize two “elected” muftis, one in Xanthi and one in Rodopi. Moreover, it is stated that the government announced in February 2007 that it would hire 240 imams as public employees in Thrace. Yet, views of the minority about the issue are not unveiled in the report.
Stateless People
In the report, it is stated that as of 2007 year-end, there are 108 stateless persons in the country, and delays in processing applications for recovering citizenship are “excessive and unjustified”.
Ethnic Minorities
It is stated in the report that while associations can not use the term “Turkish” in their names due to State’s prohibition, the minority members can identify themselves as “Turk”. One interesting point mentioned in the report is that to most ethnic Greeks, the words “Turk” or “Turkish” connote the Turkish identity or loyalties, and many ethnic Greeks object to their use by Greek citizens of Turkish origin.
The full text of the report can be retrieved here.
