Clerics & Preachers

Turkey urges Greece to end pressure against elected muftis in Western Thrace Ankara stands with Turkish minority in Greece in protecting their rights, religious freedoms, says Turkish foreign minister

(Anadolu) Greece must put an end to its interventionist practices and policies of pressure against Muslim religious leaders elected by the Turkish minority in Western Thrace, Turkey’s foreign minister said on Saturday. Mevlut Cavusoglu’s statement came on Twitter after Ibrahim Serif, the […]

Government & Politics

Security dominates EU draft statement on Afghan migration Absent is any mention of how many refugees the EU might accept. The EU wants to first see how more countries respond, one diplomat said.

(Politico) The EU emphasized security and keeping Afghan migrants outside the bloc in a draft statement obtained Thursday by POLITICO. The two-page document — dated August 25 and slated for discussion at an EU interior ministers meeting Tuesday — used the word […]

Interfaith

Chief executive of MEND wrote: ‘Israel’s generosity is like that of Hitler’ Exclusive: Azhar Qayum, head of Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND), tells Jewish News his incendiary comment on Facebook from 2014 was 'not meant as an insult to any people.'

(Jewish News) The chief executive of Islamic advocacy group Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND) wrote that “Israel’s generosity is like the ‘generosity’ of Hitler” in an incendiary social media post. Azhar Qayum made the claim during a heated online debate sparked by […]

Government & Politics

Macron calls for European plan to manage Afghan migration French president says ‘we must anticipate and protect ourselves against major irregular migratory flows.’

(Politico) France and Germany will push for a European plan to tackle migration flows from Afghanistan as people flee the Taliban’s control, Emmanuel Macron said Monday evening. “We must anticipate and protect ourselves against major irregular migratory flows that would endanger those […]

Government & Politics

Migration fears complicate Europe’s response to Afghanistan crisis As the Taliban took control of the country, there were chaotic scenes at Kabul airport as hundreds tried to flee.

(Politico) For Afghans desperate to flee the Taliban takeover of their country, Europe had — at best — mixed messages to offer. As the evacuation from Kabul airport grew increasingly chaotic Monday, with footage emerging of Afghans attempting to cling to a departing […]

Academics & Education

Greece closing 12 more Turkish minority schools in Western Thrace Turkey blasts Greece for closing schools serving Turks in region, saying this violates education rights of minority children

(Anadolu) In a violation of longstanding treaties, Greece on Monday decided to close 12 more schools serving the country’s Muslim Turkish minority, claiming there are too few students. Under an Education Ministry decree, eight schools in Rhodope (Rodop) and four schools in […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Turkey’s communications head slams France over controversial bill New law will further marginalize Muslims, interfere with way of life of religious minorities, says Fahrettin Altun

(Anadolu) Turkey’s communications director on Saturday criticized France’s parliament for passing a controversial bill, stressing that it would further marginalize Muslims and other religious minorities. Fahrettin Altun said on Twitter that though France claims to be based on the principles of freedom, […]