Gul said his wife took the decision long ago out of her own free will

By Saad Abdel-Meguid, IOL Istanbul Correspondent

ISTANBUL, March 4 (IslamOnline.net) – A decision by Hayrunisa, the wife of Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, to withdraw a case she lodged with the European Human Rights Court has drown fire.

In 1998, Hayrunisa complained to the court against a decision banning her from continuing university education for wearing hijab.

In a statement issued Tuesday, March 2, she announced withdrawing the case, fearing a ruling might stir a controversy after the case itself turned political.

A day later, Gul told reporters his wife has taken the decision out of her own free will long time ago.

Commenting on the decision, Yeniasya newspaper criticized Thursday, March 4, the silence of the ruling Justice and Development party vis-à-vis a ban on hijab in university and work places.

In 1997, Turkish President Ahmet Sezer issued a decree banning hijab in education institutions and government ministries.

It also bans hijab-wearing women from frequently any social clubs affiliated to the military institution.

Even hijab-clad journalists have been repeatedly prevented from covering news inside government institutions.

The party has been elected to parliament last year and enjoys a sweeping parliamentary majority.

Disappointment

The Turkish human rights group, Ozgur-Der, also opened its salvoes on Hayrunisa’s decision.

Speaking at a press conference Wednesday, the group chairwoman H. Sekerci cast doubts on the motivation.

She wondered why Hayrunisa lodged the complaint when he husband was not in power and then withdrew it when he assumed office.

Sekerci underlined that the decision has dumbfounded Turkish hijab-clad women and advocates.

Similarly, the head of health employees syndicate, M. Basoglu, charged that the decision would further strengthen anti-Hijab powers to lay more pressures on women wearing hijab.

Hayrunisa’s decision also came under fire from the Islamic-leaning Millie Gazette, which described it as a blow to hijab-clad women and their cause.

It also cast doubts on the position of the government which enjoys a parliamentary majority enabling it to amend the constitution.

The leftist Milliyet also criticized Hayrunisa’s decision, arguing it might have been prompted by leaked news that the European court would not rule in her favor.

R. Turmen, a Turkish judge and member of the European Human Rights Court, has recently participated in several symposia and conferences on human rights in Turkey.

He told Turkish media that the court would soon rule in the case of Leyla Sahin, a Turkish student who was banned by her university for wearing hijab.