Arinc speaks out on ECHR headscarf decision
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Speaker of the Turkish Parliament (TBMM), Bulent Arinc, has criticized the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that the current Turkish ban on headscarves in universities is not an infraction of human rights. The case, which was brought to the ECHR by former Turkish medical student Leyle Sahin, who was forced to end her studies at Istanbul University's Medical Faculty when she refused to remove her head-covering, has caused a great commotion in Ankara circles.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Arinc noted that while a headcarf ban "might be necessary in some public servant positions," it was different matter that was being argued in the case of Leyla Sahin.
Said Arinc: "I don't think that we will see the banning of headscarves in universities throughout Europe and in the US as a result of the ECHR decision....While we see religious and spiritual freedom being accepted throughout the whole world today, we don't such a thing in Turkey, and the reason given is that it is an infraction of secularity."
After 80 years, still no problems
Arinc went on: "I do not believe that those who cover their heads are saying "I am against the secular government." And I do not believe that they are saying "I am against the republic, the regime, and Ataturk." After 80 years, we have still never had any problems with sons and daughters of this country rejecting the Republic or our Ataturk."