BTTADK issues statement following ECHR ruling against Greece
The Consultative Committee of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace (BTTADK) has issued a statement following a recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which found Greece in violation of fundamental freedoms.
On June 24, 2025, the ECHR delivered its judgment in favor of the Cultural Association of Turkish Women of Xanthi, whose registration application had been denied by Greek authorities due to the presence of the word “Turkish” in its name. The application was originally submitted in 2010.
According to the unanimous decision by the Court, Greece violated Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees the freedom of assembly and association. The Court stated that the association's name posed no threat to public order and that the denial of registration was unjustified.
In response, the BTTADK released the following statement:
“The ECHR has once again confirmed that the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace is in the right and poses no threat to our country, Greece.
We expect the Greek state, as a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights, to immediately implement the Court’s rulings concerning the associations and organizations of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace.”
This decision adds to a growing list of similar ECHR judgments that highlight systematic obstacles faced by the Turkish Minority in exercising their rights to freedom of association in Greece.
