European court hears Alevi demands to cover cemevi expenses

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) held a grand chamber hearing on June 3 over a case concerning the rejection of a demand made by a number of Turkish Alevis that the state cover the expenses of cemevis, their houses of worship.

A total of 203 Alevis applied to the ECHR after their request for the provision of a religious public service was rejected by the Turkish state, with the applicants saying they had been discriminated against, unlike Turkey's Sunni citizens. The applicants also maintain that the Turkish state has not fulfilled its duty of neutrality and impartiality with regard to religious beliefs.

During the hearing on June 3, Turkey's lawyer denied the claims of discrimination against the Alevi community on the grounds that they could perform their religious practices freely. 

"Our government believes that there has been no interference with the applicants' right to freedom of religion. They can gather together and practice their belief freely. There has been no interference. The government did not block their bank accounts nor did it ban their activities. This has been acknowledged by the applicants as well," said the Turkish government's lawyer. 

Speaking on the issue of covering the expenses of the cemevis, the lawyer claimed that Alevi communities in Turkey did not agree on the exact definition of Alevism. 

"Neither our government nor your court can make a definition of Alevism. The applicants also accept that Alevism is one of the Sufi interpretations of Islam. Alevism is not a religion independent of Islam, it is an interpretation of Islam," he said.  

However, the applicants claimed that they had been exposed to discrimination despite the fact that there are 20 million Alevi people living...