ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu visits Strasbourg to address Human Rights Violations
Halit Habipoğlu, the President of the Western Thrace Turkish Federation (ABTTF), visited Strasbourg for a working trip to highlight ongoing human rights issues affecting the Turkish minority in Western Thrace. The trip focused on the failure of Greece to implement European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) decisions regarding the Bekir Usta and Others Case, which have been ignored for 17 years, and the ongoing issues related to the İskeçe Turkish Minority High School and Secondary School’s building problems and jurisdiction confusion.
Habipoğlu, accompanied by K. Engin Soyyılmaz, ABTTF's Head of Office, conducted meetings during the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Winter Session held on January 28-29. In these discussions, he met with Gerardo Giovagnoli, President of the San Marino National Delegation, and Iulian Bulai, President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Group, where he conveyed the current challenges and human rights violations faced by the Turkish community in Western Thrace.
One of the key issues raised by Habipoğlu was the persistent refusal of Greece to comply with ECtHR rulings related to the Bekir Usta and Others Case, where Turkish associations in Western Thrace have been denied their rights for 17 years. Despite numerous warnings and calls from the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Greece has adopted a strategy to delay the implementation of these rulings, Habipoğlu emphasized.
Furthermore, Habipoğlu discussed the long-standing building issues faced by the İskeçe Turkish Minority High School and Secondary School. He pointed out the confusion caused by Greek authorities passing responsibility back and forth, which has led to a lack of resolution. He stressed that these ongoing challenges prevent children from accessing quality education.
In his meetings, Habipoğlu also highlighted the growing political and media hostility against the Turkish minority in Greece, particularly the systematic denial of their Turkish identity and the stigmatization of their community leaders. He emphasized the widespread hate speech and marginalization of the Turkish community in mainstream politics and media.
Habipoğlu criticized Greece, a member of the European Union and considered the cradle of democracy, for applying double standards when it comes to minority and human rights. While Greece advocates for the rights of the Greek minority in Albania, it denies the same rights to its own Turkish citizens in Western Thrace, he noted.
