Threats against human rights defenders discussed at OSCE Meeting
Gathering approximately 300 participants from OSCE countries, international organizations, civil society, and human rights defenders, the event featured the participation of Melek Kırmacı, ABTTF’s Director of International Relations, representing the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace.
The meeting addressed good practices and challenges related to the protection of human rights defenders, emphasizing that civic space is increasingly under threat due to stigmatization, criminalization, and direct attacks. Discussions included issues such as defamation campaigns, judicial harassment, censorship, and surveillance.
In her intervention, ABTTF underlined that the OSCE Guidelines on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly recognize peaceful assembly as essential for preserving minority identities and cultures. It also highlighted the increasing pressure on human rights defenders in Greece, frequently criticized in international reports.
ABTTF referred to the European Parliament’s February 2024 resolution and the European Commission’s July 2024 Rule of Law Report on Greece, stressing that the deteriorating situation in rule of law and civic space is alarming for the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace.
According to ABTTF, representatives and institutions of the Turkish Minority are subjected to stigmatization, targeting, and hate speech, and continue to be perceived as "others" and a threat to national unity and public order. As an example, ABTTF pointed out that the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains a special regional office in the area, playing a significant role in minority-related issues.
Judicial prosecutions targeting community representatives are reportedly used as a tool to increase pressure. ABTTF also noted Greece’s continued failure to implement European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) rulings for over 17 years in the Bekir Usta and Others case group, concerning the violation of the right to freedom of association.
Citing ongoing restrictions, ABTTF mentioned the rejection of the establishment of the "Turkish Women’s Cultural Association of Xanthi" because the name includes the word "Turkish," and the closure of the officially registered “Western Thrace Fenerbahçe Cultural and Sports Association” in 2024, citing public order concerns over the term “Western Thrace.”
In response, Greece exercised its right of reply, asserting that the minority in Greece is defined on religious grounds as a Muslim minority, not an ethnic Turkish one. It claimed continued efforts to implement ECtHR rulings, stating that an Experts Committee has been formed, and a roadmap was submitted to the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers to fulfill Greece's obligations.
