US 2016 Greece Human Rights Report published

ABTTF President Halit Habip Oğlu: “Although in the report problems of our minority are evaluated shortly and superficially, official state thesis regarding the issues particularly about definition, population and demographic structure of the minority is repeated”

The Human Rights Report regarding human rights violations in the countries worldwide published annually by the US Department of State was published on 3 March 2017. And with the usual definition of “Muslim minority in Thrace", the problems of Western Thrace Turks have had partial coverage in 2016 Greece Human Rights Report.

Turkish Minority of Western Thrace in the report:

In the report in which freedom of certain ethnic groups including Turkish Minority of Western Thrace is stated to be restricted with description of "recognized Muslim Minority in Thrace", issues related to the minority are as follows:

In the US report where it is stated, despite the government recognizes the individual's right to self-identification, many people confront with challenges in expressing their identities freely and continuing their cultures, it is noted that, associations involving words of Turk and Turkish in their names on ethnical basis are not registered by the courts.

Population demographics

In the US report, once again this year, there is the statement of “The government officially recognized a Muslim minority, as defined by the Treaty of Lausanne, consisting of approximately 100,000-120,000 persons including ethnic Turkish, Pomak, and Romani communities at the time of the treaty’s signature", the claim that “there is pressure on some Pomaks and Roma by Turkish-speaking communities to deny the existence of a Pomak and Roma identities separate from a Turkish identity” is iterated in the report of 2016.

Keeping the inconsistency between population of Turkish Minority and the number of population in the US report; population of the minority noted as 150 thousand in 2013 report and 120 thousand in 2014 report is denoted as 100 thousand and 120 thousand this year as it was in last year.

Education

As regards the problems in the field of education in the US report, with reference to the report of European Commission against Racism and Intolerance on Greece it is noted that there are only two secondary schools providing Greek and Turkish education. And different than last year, with reference to the instruction of the Director of State Education Department of Eastern Macedonia Thrace region on domestic correspondences at schools and correspondences with administrative education institutions it is indicated that this is interpreted as such an instruction means banning Turkish at schools by some minority members including a deputy.

Application of Islamic Law

Statements of last year are repeated under the heading of jurisdiction procedures and accordingly it is iterated that Muslims wed by appointed muftis described as "muftis appointed by the state" in the fields of inheritance law and civil law are subject to Islamic Law, however, if they desire they may apply to court of common pleas. It is further indicated in the report that according the legislation in the country, the courts should not enact the decisions of the mufti (appointed) contradicting with Greek Constitution or international human rights conventions.

Racist violence

Regarding Racist Violence Recording Network it is noted for the first time in the report that a political figure from majority population attacked the president of a sports and cultural association belonging to minority verbally at a police station and the police did not consider this attack a racist violence and did not detain the attacker. Nevertheless, hatred based attacks committed in 2016 against Western Thrace Turkish Minority are not covered herein.

The President of Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) Halit Habip Oğlu explained: “In the US Greece Human Rights Report 2016, the part regarding the Turkish Minority is to great extent the same with the report of last year. In the report, problems of our minority is considered briefly and superficially and especially the official state thesis is repeated about definition, population and demographic structure of the minority. As ABTTF, as usual every year we shall again prepare a parallel report and convey views of our minority about all the issues in the report to the related authorities"

For the US 2016 Greece Human Rights Report full:
https://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm#wrapper