Hate case

Xanthi 2022: Historic Muslim Turkish Cemetery Demolished

14.09.2024  |  Greece  |  Submitted by: Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF)

 

Place, Country                                   Xanthi, Greece  

Year                                                       2022

Affected group/minority              Turkish community in Western Thrace

Perpetrator                                       Municipality of Avdira

Type of case                                       Official act by public authorities

Type of act                                          Demolition of a historical Muslim Turkish cemetery

Media:                                                 n/a

Reactions:                                           The representatives of civil society organisations of the Turkish

                                                             community in Western Thrace condemned the destruction.

 

Brief description:            

On 15-16 March 2022, the Muslim Turkish cemetery from the Ottoman period in the village of Petinos/Horozlu in Xanthi was destroyed by the construction equipment of the Municipality of Avdira/Bulustra, to which the village is attached. The Municipality stated that a decision was made to build a football field, basketball courts, a playground, and social facilities in the historical cemetery area.

The Turkish government condemned the act, which attracted international attention. As a result, later the same year, the Greek authorities abandoned the plan to build the sports field over the cemetery ground.

 

More information on the case can be obtained through the links:

https://www.milletnews.com/western-thrace/cultural-genocide-being-commited-in-a-cemetery-of-iskece

https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/diplomacy/turkiye-foils-greek-plans-to-decimate-muslim-cemetery-in-w-thrace

https://www.mfa.gov.tr/no_-92_-bati-trakya-da-bulunan-azinliga-ait-osmanli-donemi-musluman-mezarliginin-tahrip-edilmesi-hk.en.mfa

https://neaproini.gr/2022/12/29/turkiye-foiled-greek-bid-to-wipe-out-ottoman-era-muslim-cemetery-in-western-thrace/

 

 

Photo:

AA Photo, www.dailysabah.com

Germany

Greece

Poland

Romania

Croatia

Spain

Georgia

Estonia

Albania

Latvia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sweden

Austria

More practices in