Alevi prayer houses discriminated against as “commercial premises”

Alevis face systematic discrimination by the Turkish state. The declaration of Alevi prayer houses (Cemevi) as “commercial premises” is a further disparagement of Alevism, said Müslüm Metin, vice chairman of the Alevi Bektaşi Federation (ABF), in an interview with ANF.

Courts discriminate against the Alevi community

“The rising cost of energy has affected everyone, but the Alevi community is the most harmed by the fact that their prayer houses have been downgraded as commercial spaces,” Metin explained. “We had raised objections before, but it didn’t raise much awareness then. The pandemic situation and the extreme price increases inevitably affected the Cemevis of the Alevi Bektaşi Federation. Due to the pandemic, the Alevi institutions have not been able to hold meetings for two years. We are institutions that live on donations, and during this time we have not had any income, but the expenses have increased. Although the European Court of Human Rights has ruled accordingly, the Cemevis have not been granted status as faith institutions until now. We have already appealed against court decisions in this regard. But this is going slowly.”

Solidarity with social protests

Metin emphasised that throughout their history, Alevis have always taken a position on the side of the oppressed. He underlined his solidarity with the people who are taking to the streets in Turkey against the price increases. The ABF representative hopes, “If we all stick together, I think we will get rid of these bad things.”

The Alevis advocate for a solution

Metin explained their political perspective as follows: “The demands of the Alevis are living together and being equal citizens. We demand that our Cemevis be given legal status. If a party does not include these demands in its programme, then it will be no place for Alevis. As Alevi organisations we have always fought and will continue to fight wherever there is injustice. This shapes our history. Look at Pir Sultan, look at our great poets. As many massacres as we have experienced, the strength of our resistance has increased.”