As the AKP government's imposition of compulsory religion classes and Islamization of education continues, so does the struggle of parents against them.
Adem Turhan, the parent of 6th-grade student B.E., petitioned that his child be exempted from the compulsory religion class. Antalya District Directorate of National Education overruled Turhan's claim on July 13, saying that "religion classes are compulsory". Turhan appealed to district administrative court for the cancellation of the decision.
The administrative court deemed that the judgement of Antalya district directorate is unlawful. The administrative court based its judgement on European Convention on Human Rights, the Constitutional Court decision and the case of Hasan and Eylem Zengin seen in the European Court of Human Rights in 2007.
The administrative court held that the European Convention on Human Rights is binding for Turkey with the related article saying " [...] the State shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions".
The court also held that a "Secular state shall not have official religion [...] and thus it cannot make teaching of any specific religion compulsory in schools."
Referencing to the case of Hasan and Eylem Zengin, the court deemed that the European Convention on Human Rights has been violated in Turkey. Because the compulsory religion classes in Turkey do not abide by the conditions of plurality and impartiality to all religions, and because there is the lack of appropriate method ensuring that the religious and philosophical convictions of parents are respected.
