Turkey: US religion report null, void
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
A religious ceremony is taking place at a church in Turkey in this file photo.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedoms 2012 report is “null and void” for Turkey, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said yesterday, criticizing the report which included Turkey among “countries of particular concern”.“The report, which is prepared by politicians representing some interest groups, contradicts the findings of U.S. State Department’s annual reports so far,” the ministry said in a written statement.
The commission “fell short in understanding” the steps taken recently by Turkey on freedom of religion and protecting the rights of non-Muslim minorities, the statement continued.
The Foreign Ministry also criticized the report for failing to address incidents in Europe based on Islamophobia, with many mosques having been attacked and religious leaders being appointed by impose of state. The statement thus claimed that “the report [had been] prepared for political reasons.”
