Muslims are subjected to hate speech the most: Erdoğan
NEW YORK-Anadolu Agency
Muslims are subjected to hate speech the most, the Turkish president has said.
"Hate speech should never be confused with freedom of opinion," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Sept. 25.
The president's remarks came at a high-level event on combating against hate speech, hosted by Turkey and Pakistan, on the sidelines of the 74th session of the U.N. General Assembly.
"Today, Muslims are the most subjected to hate speech, cultural racism, discrimination and insults. Muslims' workplaces, homes, worshipping places are targeted by racist and fascist groups almost every day," said the president.
He said Muslim women are harassed for wearing headscarves on the street and workplaces.
"As a country, which has 6.5 million citizens abroad who are impacted by hate speech and attacks, we cannot overlook this issue," he added.
Erdoğan noted that hate speech is normalized by populist politicians and media and cannot be considered within the freedom of opinion.
He also denounced violence against Muslims in India who eat beef and urged respect for freedom of faith.
"In India, how will we defend Muslim youth who are being whipped, beaten by machetes and even sentenced to death just for eating beef," Erdoğan said.
Cows are considered sacred in the Hindu religion and there has been a rise in attacks on Muslim cattle owners by Hindu nationalists, with several self-styled cow protection groups emerging.
Turning to the situation in Kashmir, he said it has turned into an open-air prison and its residents have become prisoners.
"Important duties fall on all [foreign] state institutions," said Erdoğan, and urged more active steps on regional and international levels.
Reacting to attacks on Islam, the president said linking Islam, a religion of peace, with terror is an immoral slander. It is unacceptable, he said.
"We will continue to pioneer all efforts to actively fight against Islamophobia, racism and hate speech," he added.
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