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.

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Ministers Criticize "Ruling"
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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.

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Alevis Seek Exemption from Course
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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

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fairly cover all religions.

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Comment: Alevis Wield Potential Clout
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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
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WILSON