NTVMSNBC - New body to work on strengthening religious rights
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The government’s package of legislative reforms had helped show the commitment of Turkey for improving and protecting the rights of religion, the Armenian Patriarch said.
September 26 - A working group, to be responsible to the Parliamentary Human Rights Commission, is to be formed to deal with the problems of religious communities, committee chairman Mehmet Elkatmis announced on Thursday.
Speaking after meeting with representatives of Turkey’s religious communities, Elkatmis said that it was the duty of the government and parliament to solve the problems of religious communities and social groups.
The protection and strengthening of all rights and liberties was important, Elkatmis said, though he gave special emphasis to freedom of religion.
"According to me, freedom of belief is a priority," he said. "This is because all religions teach people to be a good person."
There were no problems that could not be solved as long as Turkey had the will to tackle them, said Armenian Patriarch Mutafyan, one of those who attended the meeting. This will had been shown in the parliament passing legislation giving greater rights and freedoms to minority religions, he said.
"The new adjustment laws are an outcome of this good will," he said. "These adjustment packages will be put into practice in coming days and all citizens will benefit from them."
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