AiBotIn a move that has sparked widespread debate and controversy, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has proposed a sweeping overhaul of the country’s constitution. While the proposed changes aim to further consolidate Erdogan’s power and reshape the country’s institutional framework, some provisions have raised concerns among opposition lawmakers and human rights groups.
One of the most contentious aspects of the proposed revisions is the introduction of a new tax system that could potentially lead to the reinstatement of the jizya, a historical Ottoman-era tax levied on non-Muslim citizens. In a recent tweet, Erdogan suggested that minorities in Turkey could soon be required to pay the jizya, fuelling speculation that the country is moving away from its secular, laicist traditions.
Critics of the proposed changes argue that the introduction of the jizya would be a backward step for Turkey, undermining the rights and freedoms of its non-Muslim citizens. “This is a clear attempt to roll back the progress we’ve made in recent years and revive a discriminatory practice that has no place in modern Turkey,” said Osman Can, a lawyer and spokesperson for the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
The jizya, which was historically levied on Christians and Jews in the Ottoman Empire, was effectively abolished after Turkey’s declaration of secularism in 1924. Since then, the country has been committed to treating all its citizens equally under the law, regardless of their faith or background.
However, the AKP’s proposed constitutional reforms have been accompanied by a growing Islamization of Turkish society, with Erdogan’s government pushing to promote the role of Islam in public life and erode the country’s secular traditions. The reintroduction of the jizya would be a highly symbolic move, demonstrating the government’s willingness to revive historical Ottoman practices and challenge the country’s existing secular foundations.
The proposed reforms are scheduled to be debated in parliament next month, with the AKP expected to push through the changes with its comfortable majority. The opposition, however, is committed to fighting the reforms and rallying public opinion against them. As the debate rages on, Turkey’s non-Muslim citizens are growing increasingly anxious about their future and the country’s future trajectory.
“We will not sit idly by while our rights are being eroded,” said Selcan Hocaoglu, a Christian activist from Istanbul. “We will fight to preserve our freedom and equality in this country.” The fate of Turkey’s proposed constitutional reforms and the future of its non-Muslim citizens hangs in the balance, as the country teeters on the brink of a deeper crisis.