Source: Anadolu

Government & Politics

Turkish deputy foreign minister visits Greek city with Ottoman roots Yavuz Selim Kiran tours birthplace of Turkish republic founder Ataturk, Ottoman mosques, also meets with Turkish community

May 5, 2021   

(Anadolu) A senior Turkish diplomat on Wednesday visited Thessaloniki, a multiethnic Greek city with deep significance for both Ottoman and Turkish history. Deputy Foreign Minister Yavuz Selim Kiran was met at the city’s airport by Turkey’s Ambassador to Athens Burak Ozugergin and […]

Clerics & Preachers

‘Greece does not show Turkish descendants respect’ Turkish imams, muftis should decide on chief mufti in Greece as we don't appoint patriarch, says Turkish president

April 17, 2021   

(Anadolu) Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday condemned the latest move by Greece on appointing the chief mufti and Athens’ treatment of Turkish descendants in Western Thrace. “Under Treaty of Lausanne, Greece has no right to appoint the chief mufti for […]

Clerics & Preachers

‘Athens has no right to appoint Muslims’ chief mufti’ Athens doesn't pay 'necessary care' for citizenship of 150,000 Turks in Greece, says Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

April 16, 2021 and   

(Anadolu) Athens has “no right” to appoint the chief Islamic cleric, or mufti, of Muslims living in Greece according to the Treaty of Lausanne, Turkey’s president said on Friday. “How can you do that? We don’t appoint the patriarch,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Growing diaspora in Europe instills hope in us: Erdogan Islamophobia one of most important tools for Western politicians to cover up their failures, says Turkish president

April 11, 2021   

(Anadolu) The Turkish president on Sunday said that the Western countries do not want to acknowledge the reality of [the] Turkish diaspora getting stronger. Recep Tayyip Erdogan said they never doubted that Turks and Muslims would take a much more visible place […]

Academics & Education

French Senate OKs proposal to ban prayers at universities Senate approves adding proposal to ban religious practices in university corridors to bill against 'Islamist separatism'

April 8, 2021   

(Anadolu) France’s Senate approved the addition of a ban on religious practices in university corridors to a controversial bill to fight “Islamist separatism” late Wednesday. Discussing the draft bill, which has been criticized for alienating Muslims, the center-right Republicans (LR) party proposed […]

Academics & Education

French ministry bashes religious symbols proposals Lawmakers adopt measures against religious symbols on parents accompanying children on school trips

March 31, 2021   

(Anadolu) France’s interior minister on Wednesday criticized two legal amendments adopted by lawmakers prohibiting parents from wearing visible religious symbols while accompanying their children on school trips and allowing public swimming pools to ban “burkini” swimwear. Gerald Darmanin said the measures, approved […]

Government & Politics

Turkey decries Macron’s ‘unacceptable’ remarks Foreign Ministry says ‘unjust, inconsistent' statements made about Turkey, Turkish president during TV program

March 24, 2021   

(Anadolu) Ankara on Wednesday denounced recent remarks by the French president about Turkey and its leader, calling them “unacceptable.” “We find the statements by French President [Emmanuel] Macron, which he gave in response to the deliberate questions asked in the program and […]

Demonstrations

France: Protests against controversial bill continue 'Separatist' bill slammed because it targets Muslim community, imposes restrictions on almost every aspect of their lives

March 22, 2021   

(Anadolu) Protests continued across France on Sunday against Islamophobia and a controversial bill that has been criticized for targeting Muslims. Demonstrators took to streets in the capital Paris, Marseille, Lille, Strasbourg, Bordeaux and Lyon. Chanting slogans against Islamophobia, the crowd marched from […]

Government & Politics

Turkey: 2,764 foreign terrorists deported since 2019 66 French, 57 German, 22 Dutch, 14 Swedish and 7 Swiss nationals among those deported back to countries of origin

March 21, 2021   

(Anadolu) Turkey has deported a total of 2,764 foreign [terrorist] fighters (FTFs) of 67 different nationalities since 2019, the country’s Interior Ministry announced on Sunday. In a statement, the ministry said the FTFs had left their home countries to join ranks of […]

Clothing

Muslim bloc committee slams Switzerland over burka ban Organization of Islamic Cooperation human rights board calls Swiss law grossly discriminatory, against ideals of pluralism

March 13, 2021   

(Anadolu) The human rights board of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Saturday strongly condemned last Sunday’s referendum in Switzerland passing a ban of facial coverings. On Twitter, the OIC’s Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) said it “strongly condemns Swiss […]

Government & Politics

‘EU failed to do its share for 4M refugees in Turkey’ Turkish President Erdogan criticizes EU for giving €3B to Greece but not sharing responsibility for 4M refugees in Turkey

February 22, 2021   

(Anadolu) Turkey’s president on Monday criticized the EU’s double standard of supporting Greece on the issue of migrants but not sharing responsibility for 4 million refugees hosted by Turkey. “While the EU gives Greece €3 billion [$3.65 billion] for 100,000 refugees, it […]

Academics & Education

French mosque accused of radicalism to reopen earlier Pantin mosque was closed for six months in October for disseminating video criticizing history teacher before his murder

February 2, 2021   

(Anadolu) The Grand Mosque of Pantin near Paris, closed as part of a crackdown against radical Muslims by the French government in the aftermath of history teacher Samuel Paty’s assassination, will soon be reopened, the interior minister announced Monday. The mosque was […]

Academics & Education

France: Proposal to ban Islamic veil sparks criticism Macron’s controversial draft of ‘separatism’ bill causes heated debate, with amendments suggesting ban on Islamic veil

January 20, 2021   

(Anadolu) An ongoing debate on the controversial draft of a “separatism” bill has sparked criticism, [and] resulted in a diversion, dividing the house on the question of [the] veil, whether to include amendments to ban veiled students at the university and accompanying […]

Government & Politics

French mayor criticizes decision to shut down mosque Denouncing incompetence of gov't to close mosque in Montmagny, mayor says it has nothing to do with 'radicalism'

January 19, 2021   

(Anadolu) A French city’s mayor has lashed out against the government’s “Islamist separatism” campaign after a mosque in his jurisdiction was accused and shut down to combat radicalism. Patrick Floquet, the mayor of the Montmagny town in northern France, “denounced the incompetence […]

Government & Politics

US Muslim group decries Trump’s pardon of contractors It ‘is an unconscionable act of moral insanity,' says CAIR's head about Blackwater contractors

December 23, 2020   

(Anadolu) The US’s largest Muslim civil rights organization on Wednesday condemned President Donald Trump’s decision to grant clemency to four former Blackwater contractors convicted of killing Iraqi civilians. National executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Nihad Awad said the […]

Government & Politics

Austria drops ‘political Islam’ from controversial bill Gov't replaces contentious phrase with 'religiously-motivated extremism' in revised terrorism draft law

December 17, 2020   

(Anadolu) Austria’s coalition government on Wednesday revised its controversial “anti-terror” law, using the phrase “religiously motivated extremism” instead of “political Islam.” Following a cabinet meeting, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer, Justice Minister Alma Zadic and Integration Minister Susanne Raab announced a package of […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

HRW condemns France for shutting down anti-bias group ‘Whatever its intention, this measure risks further stigmatizing Muslims in France,’ says Human Rights Watch researcher

December 5, 2020   

(Anadolu) Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned Friday a decision by France to shut down a leading anti-discrimination group. The US-based rights advocacy NGO said the move threatens basic human rights and liberties including freedom of expression, association, religion and the principle of […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

French government shuts down anti-racist group Collective Against Islamophobia in France forced to close as government seeks continued crackdown on Muslim groups

December 2, 2020   

(Anadolu) French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Wednesday announced the dissolution of anti-racist group Collective Against Islamophobia in France (CCIF). “In accordance with the instructions of the President of the Republic, the CCIF was dissolved in the Council of Ministers. For several […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

‘Insulting beliefs far from freedom’: Turkish president Ideological fanaticism has gained more ground, Turkish president tells annual convention of Muslim American Society

November 28, 2020   

(Anadolu) Decrying rising Islamophobia in Western countries, the Turkish president said Saturday that insulting people’s beliefs has nothing to do with freedom. “You have been closely following the meanness in France towards the Prophet [Muhammad] under the label of ‘freedom of thought’,” […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

CAIR warns American Muslims against traveling to France Country's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization issues travel advisory on its website

October 28, 2020   

(Anadolu) The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) warned American Muslims on Tuesday against traveling to France, saying they may face danger and discrimination there. The country’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization issued a travel advisory on its website “amid the […]

Government & Politics

Turkish president files complaint against Dutch MP Geert Wilders, known for his anti-Islam stance, tweeted insulting cartoon of President Erdogan

October 27, 2020 and   

(Anadolu) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday lodged a criminal complaint against Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders over an insulting tweet. The president’s lawyer Huseyin Aydin filed the complaint over Wilders’ insulting contents targeting Erdogan. In a criminal complaint submitted to […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Erdogan lambasts Dutch ‘fascist’ politician Fascism not in our book, it's in yours, says President Erdogan to Dutch politician Geert Wilders over insulting cartoon

October 25, 2020   

(Anadolu) Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday hit back at Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders over an insulting cartoon he shared. “Fascism is not in our book, it’s in your book. Social justice is in our book,” Erdogan said at a […]

Government & Politics

Turkey condemns police raid on Berlin mosque Berlin prosecutor's office, police should apologize to Muslim community for this attitude, says Turkey's vice president

October 23, 2020 and   

(Anadolu) Turkey on Thursday condemned a police raid on a mosque in Berlin, Germany. “I strongly condemn the immoderate police raid on the Berlin Mevlana Mosque during the fajr prayer time,” Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said on Twitter. The Berlin prosecutor’s […]

Academics & Education

French MP warns of generalized suspicion of Muslims Lawmaker urges unity in fight against terrorism, says terrorists aim to divide society, provoke anti-Muslim sentiments

October 20, 2020   

(Anadolu) French lawmaker Adrien Quatennens has warned against a climate of generalized suspicion toward the country’s Muslims after the murder of teacher Samuel Paty by an extremist last Friday in the suburbs of Paris. Quatennens, an LFI Party member of the parliament […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

‘Macron’s remarks on Islam a provocation’ Turkish president says French leader’s remarks claiming 'Islam is in crisis' go beyond disrespect

October 6, 2020   

(Anadolu) The French president’s recent claims about Islam amount to a dangerous provocation, Turkey’s president said on Tuesday. “[Emmanuel] Macron’s statement on ‘Islam is in crisis’ in a city where Muslims are the majority go beyond disrespect and are a clear provocation,” […]

Government & Politics

Turkey issues report on Turkish minority in Greece Parliament elaborates on cultural, religious issues of Turk community living in Western Thrace and Dodecanese Islands

August 18, 2020   

(Anadolu) The Turkish parliament on Tuesday issued a report elaborating on religious and cultural problems faced by the Turkish minority in Greece. The report by the Department of Research Services also examined the difficulties in protecting joint heritage sites in the southeastern […]

Academics & Education

Turkey slams Greece over closing minority schools Shuttering minority schools is part of Greece's assimilation, oppression of Turks in Western Thrace region, says Turkey

August 12, 2020   

(Anadolu) Turkey slammed Greece on Wednesday over systematically closing down Turkish minority schools in the country’s Western Thrace region, depriving the minority of the education of their choosing. Athens’ practice of “temporary suspension” of minority schools in Western Thrace — a region […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Ankara, EU can work against Islamophobia: Turkey Turkey ready to support EU efforts to achieve equality for Muslims, other religious communities, says Turkish official

June 21, 2020 and   

(Anadolu) Turkey and the EU have worked closely together in many areas and can do so against anti-Muslim racist movements, Turkey’s communications director said Saturday. Fahrettin Altun attended a presentation in Ankara of the European Islamophobia Report 2019 of the Foundation for […]