Religious Freedom in Turkey

The Turkish Constitutions declares Turkey a secular state, drawing on the principles of national hero Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The government exercises substantial control over Islamic institutions through the Directorate of Religious Affairs, which regulates all registered mosques and employs all official imams. Although nearly 98 percent of the population is Muslim, Islamic religious garb is banned in government offices and buildings and the Turkish government has historically disenfranchised political movements with conservative religious agendas. The National Security Agency actively campaigns against Islamic organizations that advocate Sharia law. Sufi orders have been formally banned since 1925, but enforcement of this ban has long lapsed. Alevis, who combine Sunni and Shi’a beliefs and may constitute as much as a quarter of Turkey’s population, are not recognized as a distinct religious group. They are consequently subject to discrimination, since their children are required to attend religion classes tailored for Sunni students. Generally, non-Muslims are allowed to practice without interference from the state, although Christian churches often struggle to obtain building permits and the official recognition required to operate their religious institutions. The ongoing political struggle between the conservative ruling AK party and the secularist military has had negative effects on religious freedom, with mutual accusations of discriminatory hiring and firing based on religious beliefs.