The Deutsche Welle news website reported that hate crimes against religious minorities are on the rise in Turkey, but experts believe that many of these incidents go unreported due to the victims’ reluctance to speak up about the incidents.
The Freedom of Belief Initiative (İÖG) released a 2023 report on hate crimes based on religion or belief in July, which revealed that incidents targeting Christians and Jews have increased in the past year. Istanbul was the site of 18 of the 47 hate crimes documented in the report.
Christians have been the most frequently targeted by hate crimes since 2020, with 52 incidents. Alevis and Jews have been the second and third most frequently targeted, with 42 and 23 incidents, respectively. The report attributes these figures to Turkey’s longstanding prejudices and hostility toward these groups.
The data was collected through media monitoring, communication with government institutions, and notifications from religious communities. Nevertheless, the actual figure is believed to be higher by experts because hate crimes are not reported.
Funda Tekin of the İÖG reported that there has been a rise in physical attacks, particularly those directed at Jewish individuals, since the commencement of Israel’s war in Gaza.
She stated that the definition of hate crimes is frequently misunderstood and that individuals may not recognize incidents as hate crimes or believe that they are insignificant.
Tekin also stated that victims may hesitate to report crimes for fear of not receiving the requisite support from law enforcement and the difficulty of obtaining any form of accountability for the offence.
Aras Türay, a legal scholar, emphasized the issue of impunity, observing that the absence of specific legislation results in these crimes being either unpunished or regarded as ordinary offences, resulting in insufficient penalties. In order to combat discrimination, he advocated for the implementation of comprehensive hate crime laws, the establishment of data collection mechanisms, and the promotion of expanded public awareness.
