ABTTF submits written statement to the UN Human Rights Council
The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) has submitted a written statement to the 59th regular session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council titled “Interference with NGOs’ Freedom of Expression and the Continued Violation of Western Thrace Turkish Community’s Freedom of Association in Greece.”
ABTTF, which has held special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council since 2006, emphasized its long-standing contributions through written and oral submissions to the Human Rights Council. The federation noted that in its written statements to the Council’s 56th, 57th, and 58th sessions, the term “Western Thrace” was altered to “Thrace” after being uploaded to the UN system. ABTTF described this as direct interference in an NGO submission and a violation of UN procedures, stressing that it constitutes a breach of the Western Thrace Turkish community’s freedom of expression.
The statement recalled that the Western Thrace Turkish community has lived in the region for centuries and enjoys educational and religious autonomy under the 1923 Lausanne Treaty. However, these rights were respected only until 1967, after which they were progressively undermined through various laws and administrative practices.
ABTTF highlighted that the closure of associations containing the word “Turkish” in their names began in 1983. It drew attention to Greece’s continued refusal—now exceeding 17 years—to implement the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in the Bekir Usta and Others group of cases.
The federation also noted that the registration application of the İskeçe Turkish Women’s Cultural Association was rejected by Greek national courts, and that the Western Thrace Fenerbahçe Cultural and Sports Association was shut down in 2024 on the grounds that its name included the phrase “Western Thrace.”
ABTTF stressed that the Western Thrace Turkish community has faced systematic discrimination in its own country, Greece, for decades. It emphasized that whenever pressure increases, baseless and intimidating legal cases are launched against prominent figures of the community.
The federation called on Greece to develop effective policies against structural discrimination and inequality faced by the Western Thrace Turkish community, and to condemn and punish smear campaigns, stigmatization, and hate speech targeting Turkish human rights defenders at all levels of public and political life.
