Turkey bans French studies after anti-Islam manifesto
Turkey has taken retaliatory action over an anti-Islam manifesto published last month by 300 French figures calling for parts of the Qur’an, the holy book of Muslims, to be removed.
Turkey’s Higher Education Board decided that Turkish universities no longer admit new students to their French language departments, media reports said on Monday.
Emrullah Isler, the chairman of the Committee on National Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport at the Turkish Parliament, told Al Jazeera that the body had taken the decision in response to the manifesto.
The other factor driving the decision, he said, was that France’s universities did not have any departments teaching “Turkology,” while there were many offering French studies in Turkey.
On Tuesday, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan strongly denounced the manifesto which demanded that “Muslim authorities … strike with obsolescence” verses in the Qur'an, because they were allegedly calling for “the murder and punishment of Jews, Christians, and non-believers.”
The statement’s signatories include former president Nicolas Sarkozy, three former premiers, and several lawmakers.
"Who are you to attack our scriptures? We know how vile you are," Erdogan said.
“Have they ever read their books, the Bible? Or the Torah?" he asked, referring to the Christian and Jewish holy books. "If they had read them, they probably would want to ban the Bible."
"You are no different than ISIL (Daesh)," Erdogan added.
Meanwhile, 30 Muslim clerics published a letter in the French paper Le Monde, denying that Qur’anic verses could be used to justify “violence,” quoting a famous passage which equates murder to the killing of the entire humanity.
Hamas denies reports about political bureau relocation to Turkey as false
BRICS offers Turkey partner status, says Turkish minister
Erdogan claims Turkey has 'severed all ties' with Israel
VIDEO | Former FBI agent criticizes US Congress for 'outright corruption'
IRGC chief urges Muslim countries to cut aid routes to Israel
'New chapter in cooperation': Iran, Venezuela sign new MoUs
Jordan sentences former lawmaker for supporting Palestinian resistance
Basij volunteer forces hold massive drills in southwestern Iran
Israeli war criminals 'not welcome', US city says after ICC ruling
US vetoing of Gaza ceasefire resolution ‘disgraceful’: Iran’s UN envoy
VIDEO | IAEA adopts anti-Iran resolution tabled by E3
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
