ANKARA

Türkiye strongly condemned destruction of tombstones in a Turkish cemetery in Western Thrace, a spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

"We have taken note of the statement made by the Greek Secretary General at the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs on this heinous incident, stating that an investigation has been initiated.

"We expect the Greek authorities to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice as soon as possible, to ensure that they receive the punishment they deserve and to clarify the reasons behind the incident," Tanju Bilgic said in a statement.

His remarks came after tombstones in the cemetery of the Turkish minority in Narlikoy were damaged by unidentified people over the weekend.

"We convey our condolences to our kinsmen living in Narlikoy and share their sorrow.

"The fact that even the cemeteries of Muslims are being targeted as part of the increasing Islamophobia across Europe demonstrates the importance and urgency of the struggle to defend our common human values," he said.

Türkiye calls on Greece to take the necessary measures in this direction, to prevent similar acts in the future, and to ensure the peace and security of the Turkish minority of Western Thrace, Bilgic added.

The Western Thrace region – located near Greece's northeastern border with Türkiye – is home to a substantial, long-established Muslim Turkish minority numbering around 150,000.

The rights of Turks of Western Thrace are guaranteed under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. But over the decades, the situation has seriously deteriorated, with Greece refusing to carry out rulings by the European Court of Human Rights.

Türkiye has long criticized Greece for depriving the Muslim Turkish minority of their basic rights and freedoms.