Earlier this month, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament approved a report that was very critical of the progress toward EU membership that Turkey has made in a number of areas. (AINA report.) Among the items in the report (full text) was criticism of Turkey's limitations on the free exercise of religion by non-Sunni Muslim minorities. The non-profit group ABHaber yesterday issued comments (full text) responding to the European Parliament's report, including a defense of progress that Turkey has made in assuring religous freedom for minorities.
The comments point out that a Minority Issues Assessment Commission has been set up to find solutions to daily problems faced by non-Muslim religions; non-Muslim religious foundations have been granted the right to buy and sell real property; non-Muslim places of worship have been restored; and an amended Law on the Civil Status Registration Services allow individuals to have their religion removed from the register of families and the religion section of their birth certificate left blank.
