Alevites Continue Protesting The Mandatory Religion Courses

The Alevi organizations, which have been holding activities against the compulsory religion course in schools by the Ministry of Education (MEB), are planning to have another protest activity in Izmir on October 9.

Following the activity, the Alevis will submit a petition to the Education Directorship of the Torbalı District in the province of Izmir and then organize a march in Ankara between November 7 and 8.

The protest that is organized by the Alevite Bektashi Culture, Aid and Solidarity Association, which is affiliated with the Alevite Bektashi Federation (ABF), will start at 12:30 on Thursday October 9.

The protesters, made up of the members of the association, the federation and the student parents, will gather in front of the Torbalı District Education Directorship and submit their petition that states their demand for the removal of the mandatory religion course.

The Federation points out to the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) regarding the mandatory religion courses in the petition.

ECHR’s decision

The ERHC had stated in its November 2007 decision that the mandatory religion courses were a violation of “the right of education.”

In Hasan Zengin and his daughter Eylem’s application, the court had emphasized that the content of these courses were based on Islam’s sunni interpretation. Moreover, the court had claimed that keeping the non-muslim students exempt from these classes was not enough for “the freedom of belief.”

The ABF calls upon all the unions, the non-governmental organizations, the left wing political parties and all of the Alevite associations to support them. (BÇ/EÜ/TB)