M. Emin Aga, Mufti of Xanthi, won two cases aganist Greece for violation of religion rights

Mehmet Emin Aga, elected Mufti of Xanthi, commenced two cases against Greece at European Court of Human Rights, and Greece was convicted. 3000 Euro will be paid as Mufti’s court expenses.

The legal status of the Muftis who are elected by Western Thrace Turkish Minority, is still not repu-diated. Greece was convicted in three cases commenced by Ibrahim Þerif, elected mufti of Komotini, and Mehmet Emin Aga, elected mufti of Xanthi. In addition to this, Greece was convicted in two cases commenced by Mehmet Emin Aga, elected mufti of Xanthi, at European Court of Human Rights.

European Court of Human Rights declared the legal decision in the same logic of the previous cases. Legal investigations can not be initiated against elected Muftis, such investigations can not be named as
“ requirement of a democratic society” and these investigations constitute a clear vialotion against the 9th Article of European Convention on Human Rights according to the declared legal decision of European Court of Human Rights. Greece is convicted to pay 3000 Euro for Aga’s court expenses.

Halit Habipoðlu, chairman of Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe, commented the legal decision of European Court of Human Rights as “Religious autonomy of the Turkish Minority living in Greece was repudiated in the Lausanne Treaty in 1923 and the guarantee of this religion autonomy, the status of Muftis, was repudiated in Athens Agreement in 1913. Our country, Greece, signed these two agreements but disregards them and does not let the Turkish Minority use their right to elect their muf-tis but rather nominates the Muftis since 1985. This is a very clear violation against religion freedom that the legal status of our elected Muftis are not repudiated and in addition to this, legal investigations against them were initiated.”

He continued as “After the court decisions of European Court of Human Rights; the legal investiga-tions against elected Muftis came to an end but still the status of the elected Muftis have not been repudiated by Greece. The previous court decisions about Muftis gave a hope to the Turkish Minority members, but we regret to see that there have been no improvement about these problems. We hope to see some improvements in the near future.”

“Council of Europe should give more emphasis to the legal proceedings of the problems to be able to get a concrete solution to the legal status of the elected Muftis. Our country, Greece, should see the minorities as a cultural wealth rather than a threat and give us our basic rights without being imposed to any international pressure.” said Halit Habipoðlu.