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Focus, Bulgaria
June 5 2011
Non-Muslims demand equal citizenship rights in new constitution
05 June 2011 | 20:07 | FOCUS News Agency
Ankara. The new constitution of Turkey should embrace all of its
citizens and elevate individual rights and freedoms equally for all as
opposed to the 1982 Constitution, which reinforced state and military
authority and introduced substantial restrictions to the exercise of
individual rights and freedoms, non-Muslim Turkish citizens indicate,
the online edition of Turkish Zaman daily informs.
When asked by Sunday's Zaman if Turkey needed a new constitution, most
of the non-Muslim `minority' citizens of Turkey were no different than
the majority of the voices in Turkey in their demands for a new,
democratic and civilian constitution, and they always made references
to the 1982 Constitution, which was drafted in the aftermath of the
Sept. 12, 1980 military takeover.
`Instead of the 1982 Constitution, which blesses and protects the
state and also says that rights can be restricted, a new constitution
should be made to put emphasis on human rights, provide social justice
and give people rights to live in accordance with their identity,'
said Arus Yumul, a professor of sociology and a Turkish citizen of
Armenian origin.
June 5 2011
Non-Muslims demand equal citizenship rights in new constitution
05 June 2011 | 20:07 | FOCUS News Agency
Ankara. The new constitution of Turkey should embrace all of its
citizens and elevate individual rights and freedoms equally for all as
opposed to the 1982 Constitution, which reinforced state and military
authority and introduced substantial restrictions to the exercise of
individual rights and freedoms, non-Muslim Turkish citizens indicate,
the online edition of Turkish Zaman daily informs.
When asked by Sunday's Zaman if Turkey needed a new constitution, most
of the non-Muslim `minority' citizens of Turkey were no different than
the majority of the voices in Turkey in their demands for a new,
democratic and civilian constitution, and they always made references
to the 1982 Constitution, which was drafted in the aftermath of the
Sept. 12, 1980 military takeover.
`Instead of the 1982 Constitution, which blesses and protects the
state and also says that rights can be restricted, a new constitution
should be made to put emphasis on human rights, provide social justice
and give people rights to live in accordance with their identity,'
said Arus Yumul, a professor of sociology and a Turkish citizen of
Armenian origin.