Masjid belonging to Western Thrace Turks in Dimetoka also closed!

Halit Habip Oğlu: “Closing of the masjid in Aleksandria and now the masjid in Didymoticho are the latest examples for restriction of freedom of religion and worship of the Western Thrace Turks with systematic interventions by the Greek authorities.”

The masjid belonging to the association established by the Western Thrace Turks in Didymoticho affiliated to the province of Evros in Greece closed by the order of the police. Following closing of the masjid recently located within the association of the Western Thrace Turks living in Aleksandria district on the grounds that the masjid lacks operating permit, now the masjid within Didymoticho Muslims Education and Culture Association has been red tagged.

Süleyman Macır, Chairman of the Didymoticho Muslims Education and Culture Association, who made a statement about the closure decision, expressed the closure decision is unacceptable regarding the masjid which was put into operation in 2016 belonging to the Western Thrace Turks in the region. He indicated the decision was communicated to them by the Didymoticho Chief Constable, and they were informed the necessary permission for the masjid to continue its activities should be obtained from the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs. He also stated closing of the masjid highly distressed them, adding Koran was taught to children and Friday and Tarawih prayers were performed there. Macır implied if they are designated a place even if that place is a church they would like to worship there and as the community in line with the developments experienced, they have started the necessary legal struggle through the advocate, and he indicated: “This is a policy of intimidation. Look, see, we may close the masjid whenever we like. However, we are highly distressed because of all these experienced. This is a strike blow against freedom of belief and worship of our people. We go to mosques and are not welcomed. We establish our own masjid and are not accepted. Then we shall go to church and let them give us a place in the church. We shall worship at the church, perform our prayer, this is not a problem for us”.

“Closing of the masjid established by the Western Thrace Turks living in Didymoticho that has been functioning since 2016 is a direct interference into freedom of religion and worship of the Turkish community in Western Thrace. With increasing systematic interferences, recently, Greek authorities restrict the Western Thrace Turks to perform freely their religious prayer. We condemn closing of the masjid in Didymoticho and urge the authorities of our country Greece to respect and not to interfere with the freedom of religion and worship of the Turkish community of Western Thrace”, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).