FoRB News
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Turkish Alevis demand respect for European court ruling
An Alevi foundation in Istanbul has called on the Turkish government to respect a European court decision regarding the minority community’s houses of worship. “You [government officials] cannot say ‘it is just a decision of a court and we don’t…
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Threat to Neve Shalom Synagogue
On November 7, an unidentified person posted a note saying “To be Demolished” on the main entrance gate of Neve Shalom Synagogue, Istanbul’s largest synagogue. Since it was Sabbath, the synagogue was empty at the time of the incident. Neve…
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Alevis slam Davutoğlu for not respecting ECtHR ruling
“Davutoğlu’s indifference to the ECtHR was unacceptable, as the court’s ruling was clear that compulsory religion courses violate the freedom of religion and thought, as well as the right to education,” said Cengiz Hortoğlu, president of the Anatolian Alevi Bektaşi…
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PM Davutoğlu Urges Parliament to Solve Alevi Community’s Problems
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, speaking at the fourth International Hacıbektaş Veli Ashura Event over the weekend, addressed Turkey’s Alevi community saying, “We should respect everyone who has different beliefs … Turkish tradition accepts different cultures living together.” He said that…
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Gov’t prepares to tackle Alevi Issue as Alevi Dede praises reforms
As the details of the government’s Alevi initiative become clearer ahead of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu’s planned visit to the Hacıbektaş district of Nevşehir province to attend a ceremony with the Alevi community, an Alevi dede – a religious leader…
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Unknown Codes Of The New Alevi Initiative
The new government formed under Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu following the Aug. 10 presidential election is set to readdress the much-discussed Alevi initiative that has occupied Turkey’s agenda for a long time. Holding the first meeting on the Alevi question,…
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İstanbul municipality to turn Armenian property into a park
The area was confiscated in 2007 from the foundation. Last month, an İstanbul court canceled the confiscation and decided to return the property to the foundation. However, despite the court order, the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality announced on Friday that the…
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Abolishment of gov’t regulation leaves minority foundations in limbo
The issue has been taken to the courts by four representatives of the Greek minority community, the Bugün daily reported on Wednesday. Katina Evdokiye Veriopoulos, Evdoksia Galanopoulo, Keti Vuças and Evangelos Mihailidis applied to the Bakırköy 7th Civil Court of…
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Alevis protest compulsory religion classes
A group of Alevi associations have staged a protest against compulsory religion classes in Turkish schools, in front of the Education Ministry’s provincial building in Istanbul’s Cağaloğlu neighborhood. A group of around 50 people laid a black wreath in front of the…
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Turkey’s telecom body given more power to monitor internet users
Turkey’s Telecommunications Directorate (TİB) has been granted the authority to monitor Internet users and block websites and their content without court permission, according to a new proposal made by the ruling party late Sept. 8. The proposal, which came during talks…
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