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Turkey Expands Rights of Alevis, a Muslim Minority Turkey Expands Rights of Alevis, a Muslim Minority
(about 5 hours later)
ISTANBUL — Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Thursday announced a set of reforms that will grant greater rights to the country’s Alevi minority, including the legal recognition of their houses of worship.ISTANBUL — Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Thursday announced a set of reforms that will grant greater rights to the country’s Alevi minority, including the legal recognition of their houses of worship.
Traditional Alevi religious schools and houses of worship, known as cemevis, will be granted full legal status in Turkey, Mr. Davutoglu said. He did not elaborate on what the exact legal status would be.Traditional Alevi religious schools and houses of worship, known as cemevis, will be granted full legal status in Turkey, Mr. Davutoglu said. He did not elaborate on what the exact legal status would be.
Turkey’s government has long refused to officially recognize Alevi houses of worship, arguing that Alevism, a brand of Islam rooted in Shiite beliefs, is a branch of Islam and not a separate religion. Turkey’s government has long refused to officially recognize Alevi houses of worship, arguing that Alevism, which is rooted in Shiite beliefs, is a branch of Islam and not a separate religion.
“There is a single house of worship in Islam — the mosque,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then the prime minister, said in a speech in 2012. Cemevis, he said, were cultural houses.“There is a single house of worship in Islam — the mosque,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then the prime minister, said in a speech in 2012. Cemevis, he said, were cultural houses.
The Alevi minority, which is the second-largest religious community in Turkey, after Sunni Muslims, have long sought legal status for their cemevis and have requested the tax-exempt status granted other places of worship in Turkey.The Alevi minority, which is the second-largest religious community in Turkey, after Sunni Muslims, have long sought legal status for their cemevis and have requested the tax-exempt status granted other places of worship in Turkey.
In 2014, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Turkey’s failure to exempt the cemevis from paying utility bills was a violation of the articles on discrimination in the European Convention on Human Rights.In 2014, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Turkey’s failure to exempt the cemevis from paying utility bills was a violation of the articles on discrimination in the European Convention on Human Rights.
Mr. Davutoglu also called for the opposition to support a new Constitution to replace the current one, a product of a military coup. “In its place, let us together compile a modern, democratic, liberal constitution, which all would be proud of,” he said.Mr. Davutoglu also called for the opposition to support a new Constitution to replace the current one, a product of a military coup. “In its place, let us together compile a modern, democratic, liberal constitution, which all would be proud of,” he said.