17 Western Thrace Turkish Minority representatives referred to court following complaint by local journalist
Seventeen representatives of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace have been referred to court following a criminal complaint filed by local journalist Nikos Arvanitis. The case stems from a 2022 public statement issued by minority representatives in response to a series of media reports targeting members of the community.
The individuals in question, many of whom are prominent political and civil society figures, had issued a joint declaration condemning discriminatory media coverage and urging Greek authorities to take appropriate action. In reaction, Nikos Arvanitis—who runs the website Komotinipress.gr and claimed the statement was directed at him—filed a lawsuit accusing the signatories of defamation and other offenses.
As part of the ensuing investigation, all 17 signatories were summoned to testify at the courthouses in Komotini and Xanthi (İskeçe) earlier this year. More recently, formal court summons have been delivered to several of the accused, including:
- Caner Imam, Mayor of Iasmos (Yassıköy)
- Erdem Hüseyin, Mayor of Arriana (Kozlukebir)
- Aydın Ahmet, President of the Western Thrace Turkish Teachers’ Union
- Ozan Ahmetoğlu, former President of the Xanthi Turkish Union
- Ahmet Kara, lawyer and former chair of the Minority School Committees Union
- Upcoming Court Hearings
The trials are scheduled to begin on October 7, 2025, and continue on February 10, 2026, at the Komotini Courthouse.
Background
The joint declaration in 2022 was signed by members of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board. The statement criticized what the group described as inciting and hostile reporting targeting the Turkish minority.
In response, Nikos Arvanitis claimed the statement defamed him personally and initiated legal proceedings. The Greek judiciary opened an investigation and subsequently lifted the parliamentary immunity of three MPs: Hüseyin Zeybek, Burhan Baran, and Özgür Ferhat, who also signed the declaration.
Individuals Named in the Case
The 17 individuals summoned to court include:
- Members of Parliament: Hüseyin Zeybek, Burhan Baran, Özgür Ferhat
- Political Figures: Çiğdem Asafoğlu (President of the Friendship, Equality, Peace Party - FEP), Mustafa Ali Çavuş (former FEP President), Rıdvan Molla İsa (Vice Governor of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace)
- Local Mayors: Caner Imam (Iasmos/Yassıköy), Erdem Hüseyin (Arriana/Kozlukebir), Rıdvan Ahmet (former Mayor of Kozlukebir)
- Civil Society Leaders: Aydın Ahmet, Hüseyin Baltacı, Sedat Hasan
- Other Figures: Ozan Ahmetoğlu, Ahmet Kara, Rıdvan Delihüseyin (former Mayor of Myki/Mustafçova), Pervin Hayrullah (Director of BAKEŞ), Özcan Mehmet (former Yassıköy Municipal Council member)
Legal and Political Implications
The case has sparked concern among minority rights organizations, who see it as part of a broader pattern of legal intimidation aimed at silencing Turkish minority voices in Greece. The proceedings are expected to draw attention from international human rights observers and European institutions monitoring freedom of expression and minority rights in EU member states.
