Constitutional measure to prevent hate crimes

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Parliament’s Constitution Reconciliation Commission has agreed on a proposal which will protect Turkey’s non-Muslim minorities with a constitutional measure against hate crimes, as the ruling party prepares to introduce an amendment against Islamophobia.

The hate crimes proposal was introduced during ongoing meetings on the drafting of the “Fundamental Rights and Freedoms” chapter of the constitution yesterday.

 It was initiated by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), and gained support from representatives of the two other parties on the commission, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

A special clause against hate crimes will be included among the articles covering affirmative action and equality.

Yesterday’s debate came only two days after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he would soon bring the issue of having Islamophobia included among recognized hate crimes to the United Nations.
Ruling party deputies are planning to introduce a constitutional amendment against Islamophobia. The proposal is highly likely to gain support from the other three parties.