The prime minister’s memo on minority Turkish citizens was published in the Official Gazette on Thursday. Turkish minorities must not be discriminated against during the course of state operations and transactions, and just treatment is of great importance to their feeling fully part of the Turkish nation and state, Erdoğan noted.“Within the framework of the principle of equality set forth in the Constitution, Turkish citizens who are non-Muslim minorities are, as all the citizens of the Republic of Turkey, inseparable pieces of the national culture and identity and also possessed of the opportunity to live and perpetuate their own identities and cultures,” he said. The prime minister underscored that there should be no incidences of discrimination while the state provides services for such citizens, as non-Muslims have full rights under Turkish law, adding that equality during interactions with the state encourages a feeling of belonging to the Turkish state as a full citizen.
The prime minister noted in the memo that as part of efforts to democratize Turkey in recent years, despite the passing of regulations to ensure fair treatment of non-Muslim Turks, discrimination and prejudice have not been fully eradicated. He noted that care needed to be taken especially on matters concerning the protection and maintenance of cemeteries for non-Muslims and that the proper procedures needed to be taken with regard to the assets of non-Muslim foundations. Touching upon the treatment of the spiritual leaders of non-Muslim Turkish communities with regard to issues of protocol that ensure the proper etiquette when it comes to interacting with leaders in appreciation of their status, Erdoğan emphasized that the law must be followed when it comes to such matters.
“I request that within the context of [all this], the relevant establishments and institutions take the care necessary to show sensitivity to this topic to ensure that all such problems that could arise are avoided entirely,” he said.
