mehboobkz
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Top judge complains implementation of secularism in Turkey a failure
In what could be seen as the Turkish judiciary's self-criticism of the way the principle of secularism has been implemented in Turkey, Constitutional Court President Haşim Kılıç has said the unsuccessful implementation of secularism has brought nothing other than a distancing of people from the state.
We have tried to secularize the individuals' morals with a concept that belongs to the state and to prevent their religious beliefs from having an influence on their lives by locking these beliefs in their hearts, Kılıç said on Friday.
This unsuccessful implementation has yielded nothing other than separating the hearts of people [from the state], he continued.
Kılıç also drew a parallel between the implementation of the principle of secularism with that of anti-terror laws. Similarly, the fact that the concept of terrorism is vague has led to different and inexact interpretations by the implementers [of the law]. As a result, grave violations of rights put solutions to social problems into a deadlock, he added.
Turkey's French model of secularism has been frequently criticized as being problematic as it has been used as a tool to prevent citizens from exercising their freedoms, including their right to practice their religion freely. Wearing the headscarf at universities was banned for decades in the country and women wearing headscarves are not still allowed to work in public institutions.
In what could be seen as the Turkish judiciary's self-criticism of the way the principle of secularism has been implemented in Turkey, Constitutional Court President Haşim Kılıç has said the unsuccessful implementation of secularism has brought nothing other than a distancing of people from the state.
We have tried to secularize the individuals' morals with a concept that belongs to the state and to prevent their religious beliefs from having an influence on their lives by locking these beliefs in their hearts, Kılıç said on Friday.
This unsuccessful implementation has yielded nothing other than separating the hearts of people [from the state], he continued.
Kılıç also drew a parallel between the implementation of the principle of secularism with that of anti-terror laws. Similarly, the fact that the concept of terrorism is vague has led to different and inexact interpretations by the implementers [of the law]. As a result, grave violations of rights put solutions to social problems into a deadlock, he added.
Turkey's French model of secularism has been frequently criticized as being problematic as it has been used as a tool to prevent citizens from exercising their freedoms, including their right to practice their religion freely. Wearing the headscarf at universities was banned for decades in the country and women wearing headscarves are not still allowed to work in public institutions.
