Türkiye calls on UN to appoint special envoy for Islamophobia at Human Rights Council

Türkiye has urged the United Nations to appoint a special envoy to combat Islamophobia, emphasizing the increasing threats against Muslims worldwide, Deputy Foreign Minister Mehmet Kemal Bozay said on Monday at the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Türkiye urges action against rising Islamophobia

Bozay highlighted the surge in anti-Muslim sentiment, racism, and xenophobia, stressing that the fundamental rights of Muslims are frequently violated.

“Hardly a day goes by without hostility against and violations of fundamental rights of Muslims, including attacks on their lives, mosques, and the Holy Quran,” he said.

“UN resolutions defining the burning of holy books as religious hatred are significant, but more steps are needed. A UN special envoy to combat Islamophobia should soon be appointed,” he added.

Call for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza

Bozay also called for an immediate and lasting cease-fire in Gaza and demanded accountability for crimes against Palestinians.

“The world is going through unprecedented changes. The international system’s credibility is waning fast,” he stated, condemning continued human rights violations and breaches of international law.

While welcoming the existing cease-fire, Bozay emphasized the need for it to become permanent.

“The catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza necessitates urgent humanitarian aid for Palestinians,” he said, reaffirming Türkiye’s ongoing support for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, and humanitarian operations in the region.

Bozay also reiterated Türkiye’s role in the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and expressed hope that the court would deliver a ruling to end the suffering of Palestinians.

He further condemned statements advocating for the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, calling them “unacceptable and against international law.”

Türkiye’s position on Syria and counterterrorism

Bozay underlined that peace and stability in Syria require the eradication of terrorist groups such as Daesh and the PKK/YPG, which also operates under the name SDF.

“Syria’s stability and unity require eradicating terrorism. There is no place for Daesh or the (terrorist groups) PKK/YPG/SDF in Syria’s future,” he said.

“The SDF is not a legitimate representative of Syrian Kurds and must be dissolved. The illegal and seditious presence of this terrorist organization in Syria’s northeast and its exploitation of Syria’s hydrocarbon resources must end. Daesh cannot be allowed to resurge,” he added.

He also criticized the control of so-called “detention camps” for Daesh members by the YPG/PKK, stating that the newly formed administration in Syria has expressed its readiness to manage these camps.

Bozay affirmed that Türkiye remains committed to ensuring a stable, unified, and secure Syria, advocating for transitional justice and long-term peace efforts.

Concerns over Turkish Cypriots and human rights violations

Addressing broader regional issues, Bozay called for an end to “systematic violations” of Turkish Cypriots’ rights.

He also criticized Greece for its treatment of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace and the Dodecanese islands, urging the U.N. Human Rights Council to address their grievances.

Broader international concerns

Bozay also touched on various global conflicts, including:

• The war in Ukraine
• Peace efforts in the Southern Caucasus
• The ongoing crisis in Sudan
• Support for an inclusive and peaceful Afghanistan
• The protection of Uyghur Turks and Rohingya Muslims