New blow to Religious Freedom in Western Thrace: Mufti Trampa reacts to prison sentence
Reactions to the Court’s Decision
Mustafa Trampa, Mufti of Komotini and Chairman of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Council, spoke to Millet Newspaper about the prison sentence given to Hasan Akifoğlu, the Chairman of the Trusteeship Board of the Small Davutlu Mosque, following a lawsuit filed against the mosque building. Trampa characterized the decision as “a new example of systematic pressure on the religious freedom of the Turkish minority.”
The court ruling, which sentenced Akifoğlu to 9 months of suspended prison time, relates to the allegation that the mosque was unlawfully converted from a school building. Trampa expressed deep sadness at the verdict, calling it an injustice and a highly incorrect decision.
Pressure on Religious Freedom
According to Trampa, the case against the mosque and the sentence handed down to Akifoğlu is part of a broader pattern of attempts to suppress the religious freedom of the Turkish Muslim minority in Western Thrace.
“This court decision has deeply saddened our community. The case, which argues that the building used as a mosque actually belongs to the village school, criminalizes our efforts to meet religious needs. This is absolutely unacceptable. Everyone, including the people of the village, knows that the building in question has been used as a mosque. Attempts to intimidate our people and portray them as criminals are deeply wrong and concerning. This decision has wounded our consciences,” Trampa said.
Calls for Justice and Equal Rights
Trampa emphasized the importance of religious freedom, which includes not only the right to practice one’s faith but also the right for a community to establish places of worship that suit its needs. He expressed that it was unacceptable to penalize the people of Small Davutlu, a village with a small minority population, for maintaining their religious practices with their own resources.
“Religious freedom includes the right to establish places of worship according to the needs of the community, not just individual beliefs. It is unacceptable to penalize the people of Small Davutlu, who have been maintaining their religious practices with their own resources. Moreover, the building in question has long been used as a mosque and has no other function as a school,” Trampa stated.
Appeal for Fairness
Trampa, as the elected religious representative of the minority, condemned the decision as a great injustice and called on the authorities to adopt a more just approach in accordance with the principles of the rule of law and human rights.
“This unjust decision must be overturned immediately. Our right to live our faith is guaranteed both by national and international law. We cannot remain silent in the face of this violation. We stand by the people of Small Davutlu and the trusteeship board,” Trampa concluded.
