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ISTANBUL; US Report Criticizes Turkey

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  • ISTANBUL; US Report Criticizes Turkey

    US REPORT CRITICIZES TURKEY

    Hurriyet
    Aug 1 2012
    Turkey

    The Turkish Government has continued to impose limitations on Muslims
    and other religious groups through, for example, a headscarf ban in
    government offices for the stated purpose of preserving the "secular
    state," the U.S. State Department has said in its annual report on
    religious freedom.

    The report emphasized problematic issues in Turkey, such as the
    reopening of the Greek Orthodox Halki Seminary, the headscarf ban
    in government offices, conscientious objection to military service,
    compulsory religious education and difficulties faced by Alevis in
    creating suitable places for worship.

    "There were reports of societal abuses and discrimination based on
    religious affiliation, belief, or practice. Threats against non-Muslims
    created an atmosphere of pressure and diminished freedom for some
    non-Muslim communities. Many Christians, Baha'is, Jews, and Alevis
    faced societal suspicion and mistrust, and some elements of society
    continued to express anti-Semitic sentiments," the report read.

    Wearing headscarves in gov't offices

    The report pointed out that Turkish authorities have continued their
    ban on wearing religious Muslim headscarves in government offices
    and public primary schools, although the ban was not enforced in
    universities and is often ignored in some workplaces.

    In its report, the U.S. State Department criticized the Turkish
    government's policy regarding the Greek Orthodox Halki Seminary. The
    report claimed the seminary "could be reopened after being closed
    for 40 years."

    Some positive developments in religious freedoms were also noted in
    the U.S. State Department's report, including the Turkish government
    recently permitting the forming of new religious community foundations
    and allowing religious community foundations to regain property which
    had in previous decades been confiscated.

    "The government again permitted annual religious worship services to
    be held in religiously significant sites that had previously been
    converted to state museums, such as Sumela Monastery near Trabzon,
    Akdamar Church near Van, St. Peter's Church in Antakya, St. Nicholas'
    Church near Demre, and the House of the Virgin Mary near Selcuk,"
    the report stated.

    The report also mentioned positive steps made toward decreasing
    prejudice against graduates and applicants of imam hatip schools.

    Applicants no longer encountered an automatic minimal reduction
    in their university entrance examination grades when applying for
    programs outside of the theology department, allowing for greater
    academic freedom.

    In its report the U.S. State Department criticized Turkey's failure
    to recognize conscientious objection to the country's mandatory
    military service. It also underlined the punishment of opposing
    military service due to religious beliefs with charges in military
    and civilian courts and possible prison sentences as a limitation of
    religious freedom. However, the report also denounced the clouds of
    suspicion hanging over the Sevag Balıkcı case, an Armenian citizen
    who was killed during his army service.

    August/01/2012
    http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/us-report-criticizes-turkey.aspx?pageID=238&nID=26777&NewsCatID=339

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