Western Thrace Turks’ issues once again on the OSCE agenda

The Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association (WTMUGA) participated in the first OSCE Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting of 2025, held in Vienna on March 17–18. The event was hosted by Finland, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Representing BTAYTD, Human Rights Expert Kerem Abdurrahimoğlu attended the meeting, which was organized under the theme:

“The Role of Media in Conflict and Humanitarian Crises, Reflections on International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law.”

Following the opening session, the meeting featured three working sessions:

Respect: The Role of Media and Accountability in Conflict, Including Contributions to Humanitarian Crises
Response: Addressing Challenges in the Information Environment and Media, Including Disinformation
Preparedness: Building Societal Resilience through Independent Journalism and Media Literacy

Western Thrace Turkish Minority’s Issues Raised
During the second session, titled "Response: Addressing Challenges in the Information Environment and Media, Including Disinformation," the BTAYTD representative took the floor. The speech highlighted:

• The denial of the Western Thrace Turkish minority’s identity,
• Problems in the fields of education and association rights,
• Violations of human and minority rights in Western Thrace,
• The demonization and targeting of minority representatives by local and mainstream Greek media,
• The lack of media coverage on cultural, social, and humanitarian activities organized by the minority.

Greek Delegation’s Response
At the end of the session, the Greek delegation exercised its right to reply. It reiterated the official Greek stance, stating that the Lausanne Treaty regulates the rights of the Muslim minority in Western Thrace and that all individuals in the region enjoy full rights as Greek citizens.

The meeting concluded with the presentation of session reports and closing statements from participating countries.