TURKEY: GOT CRITICIZES PURPORTED RULING ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004015 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2026 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: GOT CRITICIZES PURPORTED RULING ON RELIGION CLASS Classified by Polcouns Janice Weiner; reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) Summary: The Turkish press has reported that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has decided to rule against the GOT in a case challenging the legality of Turkey's mandatory religion courses. Two GOT ministers have criticized the purported ruling. However, the reports of an ECHR ruling appear erroneous; the court is set to begin hearings on the case in October. The plaintiff in the suit is an Alevi (heterodox Muslim) parent who maintains that Alevis should not be required to take a course focused on Sunni Islam. The case reflects the broader, controversial issue of religious pluralism in Turkey. End Summary. -------------- Ministers Criticize "Ruling" -------------- ¶2. (U) The Turkish press on July 4 and 5 reported that the ECHR had decided to rule against Turkey in a case filed by an Alevi parent in 2004. The Alevi parent maintains that the Turkish state is violating the Council of Europe's Convention for the Protection of Human Rights by requiring his daughter to take a religion course focused on Sunni Islam. According to the press reports, the ECHR had reached a decision in the case, but will not make a public announcement until the fall. ¶3. (U) GOT officials were quick to denounce the purported decision. Education Minister Celik noted to reporters that the Turkish Constitution and the National Education Law require that state-supervised religion courses be offered in all schools. Celik argued that there is no reason for an Alevi child to sit out the course. "In this course students are taught religions and universal moral values," he said. "So it does not matter whether the student is Alevi or not." Justice Minister Cicek, who also serves as GOT spokesman, questioned whether the reported ECHR decision "fits the Turkish reality" and challenged the court's bona fides to deal with such issues. Newspaper columnists quickly began debating the merits of the "ruling." FM Gul appeared to express a view different from those of the other ministers on July 9, when he reportedly said that compulsory religious instruction is "not useful," though he added that this is his personal opinion. ¶4. (U) Kazim Genc, the attorney representing the Alevi parent ;in the case, told us the reports of an ECHR decision are erroneous -- the ECHR decided only that it would begin deliberations in the case October 3. Turkish reporters appear to have figured this out; without acknowledging any errors, they stopped claiming that the court has made a ruling. ¶5. (U) Alevis, who number an estimated 15-20 million in Turkey, are followers of a belief system that incorporates aspects of both Shi'a and Sunni Islam, while also drawing on the traditions of other religions found in Anatolia. Many, though not all, Alevis maintain that they are not Muslims. The GOT asserts that Alevis are a "cultural group" within the Sunni Islamic majority. -------------- Alevis Seek Exemption from Course -------------- ¶6. (C) In the ECHR case, which is closely followed in the Alevi community, the plaintiff maintains that Alevi children should not be required to take a religion course focused on Islam. The GOT asserts that the course covers all world religions, but Alevis and other religious minorities argue that the content overwhelmingly reflects Sunni Islamic doctrine. Religious minorities are not required to take the course, but this exemption does not apply to Alevis, as the GOT denies that they constitute a distinct religious group. In a 2004 report, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance recommended that the GOT either make the courses optional or revise the content so that they genuinely and ANKARA 00004015 002 OF 002 fairly cover all religions. -------------- Comment: Alevis Wield Potential Clout -------------- ¶7. (C) This case may appear relatively unimportant on the surface, but its outcome could impact the highly controversial issue of religious pluralism in Turkey. The Turkish state has long maintained that, under the 1923 Lausanne Treaty, Turkey is required to recognize only three non-Muslim minorities -- Greek Orthodox Christians, Armenian Orthodox Christians, and Jews. The security establishment views efforts to acknowledge any other religious communities outside the Sunni Islamic mainstream as a threat to national unity. Moreover, some Turkish Muslims fear that Alevis who distinguish themselves from Islam could undermine Islamic influence. The Alevi issue provokes strong passions because, unlike other religious minorities in Turkey, the Alevis comprise a large group. That explains why two GOT ministers have reacted so strongly to a court ruling that hasn't yet been made. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON