No: 121, 18 April 2015

We have learned with regret about the fire which broke out at the morning hours of 17 April and caused extensive damage to the Mahmud Aga Mosque in Komotini.

It is conspicuous that the trees in the garden of Alankuyu Mosque which is a few hundred meters away from the aforementioned mosque were vandalized at the same time with this fire that occurred in a holy place of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace whose rights are guaranteed by bilateral and international agreements. We have the impression that these two incidents are linked with each other.

We wish that these heinous incidents which were perpetrated in these two holy places of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace are clarified as soon as possible by Greek authorities. We also expect that necessary measures are taken to ensure the peace and security of the Turkish Minority.