Council of Europe urges Greece to implement ECHR rulings on Turkish minority associations

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has once again called on Greece to implement rulings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) regarding Turkish minority associations in Western Thrace.

During its meeting held in Strasbourg from June 10–12, the Committee reviewed the Bekir Usta and Others case group, which relates to violations of freedom of association involving Turkish minority organizations, including the Turkish Union of Xanthi, the Cultural Association of Turkish Women of the Rhodope Prefecture, and the Evros (Meric) Minority Youth Association.

In its decision dated June 12, the Committee recalled that the judgments found Greece in violation of Article 11 (freedom of association) of the European Convention on Human Rights. It strongly criticized Greece for failing to comply with these rulings for more than 17 years.

The Committee noted that the applicant associations had exhausted all legal remedies in the domestic courts and urged Greek authorities to immediately examine the recommendations made in a report submitted by the national Expert Committee in May 2025. It called for the restitution of their legal status and for the implementation of concrete measures within a clear timeframe to prevent similar violations in the future.

The Committee also encouraged Greece to fully utilize the expertise of the Council of Europe, including the Venice Commission, to ensure that any proposed measures are compatible with human rights standards. It decided to review progress again in December 2025.

The Expert Committee, established by Greece in 2023 to propose steps for complying with ECHR rulings, recommended a series of measures, including constitutional amendments, judicial training, legal reforms, and stronger monitoring mechanisms.

Reacting to the decision, Halit Habipoğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), stated:

“The Committee of Ministers has clearly asked Greece to present a timetable for implementing the rulings and to consider the Expert Committee’s proposals. The responsibility now lies with the Greek authorities. If no action is taken, it will confirm Greece’s political unwillingness to resolve these long-standing issues and uphold its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.”

He reiterated the ABTTF’s call for the Committee of Ministers to consider initiating infringement proceedings against Greece should it continue to delay.