Halit Habip Oğlu: “The Greek authorities should refrain from practices that would lead to a violation of the freedom of religion of the Turkish community in Western Thrace, using the pretext of the coronavirus pandemic.”
Within the framework of a joint decision taken by the Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Health, it is forbidden from 12 to 20 April 2020 which corresponds to the Easter week to transmit religious ceremonies, rituals and prayers in all places of worship via loudspeakers to the outside. According to the decision, religious ceremonies, rituals and prayers in the places of worship will only be held by a certain number of religious officials without outside participation. On the other hand, call to prayer (zan) with lower volume through loudspeakers will continue during the aforementioned time frame with respect to the mosques in Western Thrace.
“The Greek authorities systematically confront the Turkish community in Western Thrace and continue to play with its nerve endings. Now, the debate is about whether or not reciting the azan which is the symbol of our religion through loudspeakers in our mosques. There is no reciting of azan through the loudspeakers in mosques throughout Germany, but due to this extraordinary situation we experience currently, the sounds of the bells in the churches along with the azan are now heard. In Germany, as part of measures against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, it is also temporarily forbidden to pray in congregations within the mosques. So why do the German authorities encourage the reciting of azan through loudspeakers at such a time? To send the message to Muslims living in Germany that they are not alone, and they are part of the society. On the other hand, our country Greece continues to ignore us at every opportunity and erase our historical and cultural heritage in the country even in such days. One of the last examples of this took place in Kos. In exchange for the payment of restoration costs of Defterdar İbrahim Efendi Mosque damaged by the earthquake in Kos in 2017, the rental income of the shops under the mosque will be collected by the municipality and one of the shops has been allocated to the municipality as a tourism information office. Greek authorities should respect our religious and cultural values, and refrain from practices that would violate our religious freedom”, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
