ABTTF says EEDA report overlooks Western Thrace Turkish community’s rights issues

The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) has criticized the Greek National Commission for Human Rights (EEDA) for failing to address the longstanding problems and rights violations faced by the Western Thrace Turkish community in its 2025 Annual Report.

The report, published by EEDA, focuses on a wide range of human rights issues in Greece, including prison conditions, migration and asylum policies, pushbacks, hate speech, the rule of law, and the strengthening of independent institutions.

According to the report, racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hate-based discrimination continue to pose serious threats to democratic society. It also warns that hate speech has become increasingly visible in political discourse, public debate, and social media, particularly targeting refugees and migrants, raising concerns over discrimination and hate crimes.

EEDA calls for more effective investigations into hate crimes, stronger protection for victims, greater engagement by public institutions in combating discrimination, and expanded public awareness initiatives. It also highlights the importance of human rights defenders and civil society organizations, while warning that Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) could have a chilling effect on freedom of expression. The commission further stresses the need for the full implementation of European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgments and European human rights standards.

Responding to the report, ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu said the commission's findings on human rights and the rule of law were important but criticized the omission of minority rights as a significant shortcoming.

Habipoğlu stated that the systematic rights violations and discrimination experienced by the Western Thrace Turkish community had been ignored in the report. He announced that ABTTF would submit a written opinion to EEDA outlining its concerns.

According to Habipoğlu, the submission will address the effective restriction of the community's educational and religious autonomy through legislation and government practices, the continued non-implementation of ECtHR judgments concerning Turkish associations for more than 18 years, and hate speech targeting the Western Thrace Turkish community.