Deputy PM Arinc: Islamophobia is a violation of human rights

Speaking at the International Conference on Islamophobia: Law & Media, organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Office of the Prime Minister, Directorate General of Press and Information (BYEGM) at Grand Tarabya Hotel in Istanbul on September 12-13, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said, "Regardless of how we handle Islamophobia, it is a violation of human rights and an attack against human dignity of Muslims. The communication strategies that trigger this violation won't contribute to world peace." Arinc continued to say that Islamophobia was also a tool of oppression and the goal of this oppression, based on the idea that that Islam and democracy are incompatible, was to turn the countries combining Islam and democracy into problematic states. Underlining that there is not any religious principle that prevents Muslims from embracing democracy, Arinc said that Muslims are democrat by nature.