The company’s response has gone viral in Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country with a secular tradition despite the erosion of that principle by the Islamist-conservative government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
A bus driver’s refusal to stop a passenger’s request to pray has reignited the debate over the secular nature of the state in Turkey.
The bus was making one of the longest road trips inside Turkey last Saturday, between Van (near the border with Iran) and Izmir (on the Aegean coast), a journey lasting more than 24 hours, according to a statement from the legal representative of the company Oz Ercis, which came to the knowledge of the French Agency.
“The company found itself at the center of a controversy over the secular nature of the state. We were identified as a target. However, we respect all religious beliefs,” lawyer Tuncay Keserci emphasized.
It all started, according to him, with a post on Twitter by a passenger complaining that he could not pray during his journey because the company refused to stop the bus.
In response, the company reminded, in a press release shared by its lawyer, that Turkey is a secular state, based on the Constitution.
“None of the rights defined by the Constitution can be used to violate the democratic and secular concept” of the (Turkish) Republic, he explained.
“It is not possible (…) to ignore the rights of other passengers who do not pray and want to reach their destination in time for a passenger to pray,” he underlined in a further justification.
The company’s response has gone viral in Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country with a secular tradition despite the erosion of that principle by the Islamist-conservative government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Many Turkish netizens praised Oz Ercis for defending the secular nature of the state and her “courage”, while others criticized her, saying they would not choose her to travel with again.
Islam, however, allows travelers to be able to adjust their prayer times and times during their travels.
“We are the victim of a lynching campaign, as if we are preventing people from praying,” lamented Keserci, who clarified that the passenger in question was able to pray later when the bus stopped at a car service station at the scheduled time based on his itinerary.
The company’s leaders are very pious and the province of Van is known as a mostly conservative province, the lawyer continued.
“Reminding ourselves of the secular character of the state does not mean that we are not faithful. The secular nature of the state also protects Muslims,” he argued.
President Erdogan, who has reintroduced the use of the Islamic headscarf in universities and the civil service, has promised to enshrine it in the constitution before elections in June 2023.
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I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
