PRESS RELEASE Xenophobia and anti-Islamism cannot be disguised with a ‘Freedom of Expression’ Mask
29.05.2017-11:11
We are observing with interest and concern, the developments following journalist Soti Traindafillu’s article which initiated an investigation by the Attorney against Racism.
Subsequent to Soti Triandafilu’s article of extreme anti- Islamism and Islamophobia, ‘Racist Crimes Watch’ Board Member and Greek Helsinki Monitor Spokesperson Panayotis Dimitras launched an official complaint against Triandafilu, the case will be heard on 21st July 2017.
With the court date set, social media and media was occupied with comments against Panayotis Dimitras, who had complained to the Racist Crimes Watch about Triandafilu’s article and comments which supposedly defends freedom of expression. As the FEP Party, we would firstly like to state that; regardless of reason, we disapprove and do not justify any sort of extremism or terror attacks which threatens the safety of innocent people and their right to live. Terror has always been the greatest enemy of mankind. As the FEP Party, like always we once again condemn strongly not only the attacks in Paris, but all terror attacks which are attempted towards the lives of innocent people. We would regrettably like to emphasize, that Mrs. Sto Triandafilu’s article, which is subject to judicial prosecution is full of utmost xenophobia. As the FEP Party we would like to express that we object to movements, as such, which disrupts harmony within the community and fuels hatred and hostility towards those that are ‘different.’ ‘Fanatic Muslims are those who will behead you, where as moderate Muslims will aid this,’ ‘Islam is not a religion like other religion, it is a political program, an ideology of barbarization,’ ‘our sufferings from Islam (not only terrorism, but daily acts of repression and hate) is a subject not of ‘interventions’ from Western countries in Eastern countries but of Islam’s pro-war nature’. The above mentioned expressions used in Soti Triandafilu’s article are examples which display extreme Islamic antagonism. Such views which consist of ‘assault’ and ‘insult’ transcend the boundaries of freedom of expression and openly incite the people against those that are ‘different’. Did Triandafilu think of the consequences of such a writing among society considering that in our country Greece in Western Thrace for centuries Muslim Turks, which number 150 thousand, have continued their existence, and that nationwide there are hundreds of thousands of Muslims. We doubt the intellectual personality of a writer who sees no fault in defines Islam as a ‘barbarization ideology’. In this context, we also emphasize that we denounce the attacks on Panayotis Dimitras, who complained about Soti Triandafilu’s article. As a Party that fully supports freedom of expression and press freedom, taking into account the process of which our world is in, we state that acts which provoke and instil xenophobia and hatred among societies must be avoided cautiously. Disrupting harmony within society, practicing islamophobia, provoking people and holding hundreds of millions of members of a religion responsible, for terror attacks which should be condemned by everybody, cannot be disguised under ‘freedom of expression’! As the FEP Party, we state that we closely follow the judicial process in this regard, and once more express that we condemn all acts which are in opposition to a tolerant and peaceful understanding of a harmonious life. Share
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