ECtHR @en
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Activities
Submission to the CM on the Zengin Group of Cases
The submission, which has been published on the Council of Europe’s website, provides information on the status of the general measures that the Turkish Government needs to take in the context of the enforcement of the European Court of Human…
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FoRB News
Lachiri v. Belgium: Headscarf ban imposed on a civil party in a courtroom in violation of religious freedom
In Lachiri v. Belgium, decided on 18 September 2018, the European Court of Human Rights held that excluding a woman from the courtroom, who was a civil party to the case, on the ground that she wore an ‘Islamic headscarf’…
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FoRB News
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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FoRB News
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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Activities
Open Letter to Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu from the Norwegian Helsinki Committee / Freedom of Belief Initiative
The Norwegian Helsinki Committee / Freedom of Belief Initiative sent an open letter to Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu calling for measures to be taken to bring the program, books and practice regarding the compulsory Religious Culture and Knowledge of Ethics…
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FoRB News
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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International Law
Buldu and Others v. Turkey
(Application No. 14017/08) – Chamber Judgment 3 June 2014. The applicants are four Turkish Jehovah’s Witnesses who refused to carry out their military service on account of religious convictions. They cited Articles 3 and 9 of the Convention, and said that…
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FoRB News
SAS v. France: Ban on covering face in public not a violation of ECHR
In SAS v France [2014] ECHR No. 43835/11 the Grand Chamber of the ECtHR has held by a majority [Nussberger and Jäderblom JJ dissenting] that the French law prohibiting the concealment of one’s face in public places (Law no. 2010-1192 of 11 October 2010)…
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Activities
NHC: İÖG “Reform package fails to solve key freedom of religion issues”
On 30 September 2013, Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented a democratization package to address some of the fundamental issues in the country, including freedom of religion or belief issues. “While the package includes positive elements, it falls short…
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