Xanthi Turkish Union pays working visit to Strasbourg

The President of Xanthi Turkish Union Ozan Ahmetoğlu and lawyer İlker Çavuşoğlu, one of the legal advisors of ITB, made a working visit to Strasbourg, France between 20 - 23 November in order to follow up the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgements regarding ITB and other Turkish minority associations in the "Bekirusta Cases Group" which are not implemented by Greece. The working visit was organised prior to the December meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, where the unimplemented ECtHR judgments are expected to be on the agenda.

İTB President Ozan Ahmetoğlu and lawyer İlker Çavuşoğlu met with the Executive Chamber of the ECtHR Decisions, the Presidency of the International Conference of Non-Governmental Organisations of the Council of Europe and the permanent missions of the member states of the Council of Europe regarding the implementation of the ECtHR decisions for 15 years.

During the contacts and meetings held in Strasbourg, the victimisation experienced due to the non-implementation by Greece of the ECtHR judgments concerning the Turkish Union of Xanthi, the Cultural Association of Turkish Women of the Prefecture of Rodopi and the Evros Minority Youth Association for 15 years was once again explained. It was emphasised that the non-implementation of the ECtHR judgments has become permanent and has caused new grievances and problems. The latest developments on the subject were also discussed during the meetings.

The delegation of Xanthi Turkish Union once again expressed its demand for the full and complete implementation of the ECtHR judgements on the cases of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace, called "Bekirusta Group of Cases", by Greece.

During his visit to Strasbourg, Xanthi Turkish Union President Ozan Ahmetoğlu and Legal Advisor İlker Çavuşoğlu also met with the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the Council of Europe Ambassador Nurdan Bayraktar Golder and her team.