NEW YORK — The Anti-Defamation League’s [ADL] Task Force on Middle East Minorities expressed grave concern over the recent escalation of violence targeting Syrian refugees in Türkiye, and calls on Turkish authorities to ensure the safety of Syrian and Arab refugees and bring the perpetrators to justice.
On June 30, 2024, an angry mob vandalized and burned vehicles owned by Syrians in the Turkish province of Kayseri, following a social media post alleging that a Syrian man molested a child. The violence soon spread to five other provinces, namely Bursa, Gaziantep, Hatay, Istanbul, and Konya, and is escalating at an alarming level, with vigilante groups marching in Syrian neighborhoods, vandalizing property, and attacking Syrian and Arab individuals.
Shadi Martini, co-chair of ADL’s Task Force on Middle East Minorities and Chief Executive Director of Multifaith Alliance, said:
“We are horrified by the images coming from various Turkish provinces, including the burning and looting of the properties of Syrian refugees, reports of beatings, and the disturbing news that 17-year-old Ahmet Handan El Naif was stabbed to death. No one should be afraid to walk the streets or live in fear that their homes could be destroyed and property burned because of their ethnicity or national origin. We urge Turkish authorities to take swift action to protect all vulnerable individuals and communities from any form of violence and hate crimes. We also applaud all Turkish individuals and civil society organizations standing in solidarity with Syrian and Arab victims of this wave of violence.”
ADL’s Task Force on Middle East Minorities coordinator Tugba Tanyeri-Erdemir noted:
“The scapegoating of displaced Syrians by xenophobic hatemongers has incited violence targeting Türkiye’s Arab residents in numerous cities around the country. The violent attacks add to the suffering this vulnerable community has already experienced at the hands of the Assad regime during the Syrian Civil War. It is crucial for Turkish authorities to apprehend and prosecute all the perpetrators to the full extent of the law, and prevent a culture of impunity for anti-refugee hate crimes.”