05/11/2019 Turkey (International Christian Concern) –Turkey’s Education Ministry is under criticism for photo shopping headscarves on women in stock photos used in 11^th grade secondary school textbooks, reports EuroNews. The government has not responded to requests for comments. However, President Erdogan has been increasingly accused of forcing Islamization into Turkey’s secular state.

Veil coverings remain a sensitive issue in the Middle East. Christian women would not normally wear the veil, but in some strict Islamic countries, Christian women are forced to conform. In the case of Turkey, most women (including Muslim) do not regularly wear headscarves. However, the practice is becoming increasingly commonplace, thanks largely to President Erdogan’s increasing emphasis on Islam in educational centers.

Turkey is rated as a Tier 2 Country of Concern by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. Although the country is constitutionally secular, the constitution also protects the Turkish identity, which is Muslim.

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