ABTTF met with Human Rights Watch in London

ABTTF expressed Western Thrace Turkish Minority has become target of extreme right in Greece since Golden Dawn entry to the Greek Parliament

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) has met Human Rights Watch (HRW), the global organisation in defence of human rights, on 20 May 2013. The meeting took place in HRW London office and was attended by ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu, ABTTF Vice-President and President of the Association of Western Thrace Turks in UK Rıdvan Hacıbedel, ABTTF External Affairs Correspondant Dr. Sebahattin Abdurrahman and ABTTF International Affairs and Lobby Group member and England Western Thrace Turks Association Executive Board member Ercüment Mustafaoğlu. The rising extremism and hate crimes in Greece upon Golden Dawn having seats in the Greek Parliament was discussed with HRW Research Assistant on Europe and Central Asia Eva Cosse and HRW Senior Legal Advisor Clive Baldwin.

ABTTF President Habipoğlu, assisted by ABTTF delegation, introduced the Federation and its ac-tivities. Eva Cosse, in charge of the file on Greece, provided an overview on HRW activities. Cosse indicated the HRW report “Hate on the Streets: Xenophobic Violence in Greece” published in 2012 as a result of the input and figures they obtained from hate motivated attacks directly or indirectly perpetuated by Golden Dawn party and its supporters. Futhermore, Cosse precisely stated that preparation of the report witnessed several serious and worrying incidents, which convinced HRW that there is severe negligence in preventing hate motivated attacks against migrants in Greece. Fol-lowing the publication of HRW report, though few developments were observed there is still serious need for precautions, said Cosse.

ABTTF President Habipoğlu informed the hate motivated attacks initially targeting migrants have shifted their focus to Western Thrace Turkish Minority. The ongoing situation causes anxiety and unrest within the minority, which is exacerbated by insufficient action in preventing hate crimes.

ABTTF President met Association of Western Thrace Turks UK Executive Board Members

ABTTF President, on the occasion of his visit to London office of Human Rights Watch, has met the executive board members of the Association of Western Thrace Turks in UK in the evening of 19 May 2013. The dinner meeting, taken place at Steakhouse Guaca by executive board members Ercüment Mustafaoğlu and Eyüp Hacıbedel, was attended by President of the Association Rıdvan Hacıbedel as well as by former President, currently holding the vice-presidency, Necmi Hasanoğlu and İsmail Uzun, as one of the senior managers of the association.