CASE OF MANSUR YALÇIN AND OTHERS v. TURKEY
Remainder inadmissible;Violation of Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 - Right to education-{general} (Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 - Respect for parents' philosophical convictions;Respect for parents' religious convictions)
András Sajó;Egidijus Kūris;Guido Raimondi;Jon Fridrik Kjølbro;Nebojša Vučinić;Robert Spano
5. The applicants live in Istanbul. They are followers of the Alevi faith. Mr Mansur Yalçın, Mr Yüksel Polat and Mr Hasan Kılıç all had school-age children. More specifically, E. Polat (Yüksel Polat’s daughter), who completed her secondary schooling in 2007, G. Kılıç (Hasan Kılıç’s son), who completed his secondary schooling in 2010, and T. Yalçın (Mansur Yalçın’s daughter), who completed her secondary schooling in 2010, were attending a secondary educational establishment at the relevant time. Mr Sofuoğlu stated that, at the time the domestic proceedings were instituted, his son and daughter had completed the second cycle of secondary education and were in higher education. Ms Serap Topçu and Ms Eylem Onat Karataş, meanwhile, stated that they had attended “compulsory religious culture and ethics classes” at school and that their young children – whose ages they did not specify – would likewise have to attend those classes when they went to school. 6. In Turkey, school attendance is compulsory for all children between the ages of 6 and 13. For the first four years, children attend primary school (Years 1 to 4). The following four years are spent in the first cycle of secondary school (Years 5 to 8). After that, pupils spend a further three or four years in school, depending on the subjects chosen, in an upper secondary school (lise). 7. On 22 June 2005 the applicants asked the Ministry of Education to initiate a consultation process with Alevi faith leaders with a view to overhauling the syllabus for religious culture and ethics classes and including Alevi culture and philosophy. They also requested the introduction of compulsory training for teachers of these classes and the setting-up of a monitoring and supervisory mechanism. They cited in that regard extracts from monitoring reports prepared by the European Commission which were critical of the content and the compulsory nature of the religious culture and ethics classes. 8. In its reply of 15 July 2005 the Religious Education Department of the Ministry of Education (“the Department”) stated that, in the textbooks used in religious culture and ethics lessons in the primary cycle, priority was given to the teaching of ethical and religious values common to society as a whole. As to the content of the classes at secondary level, the Department stated that, while respecting the same principles, the syllabus took a supradenominational approach (mezhepler üstü) and that the religious culture and ethics textbooks also presented other understandings of Islam. It added that the syllabus for the 2005/06 school year had been drawn up on the basis of this supra-denominational approach, which according to the Department was centred on the Koran, did not favour any particular branch of Islam and respected the principle of secularism. The Department also mentioned that the syllabus for Year 9 (the first year of upper secondary school) featured public figures who had been important in shaping the Turkish understanding of Islam, while the syllabus for Year 11 explained the different interpretations of Islam, and the Year 12 syllabus contained a wealth of information on Alevi-Bektashi (bektaşi) culture. In the same letter, the Department further specified that teacher training had been introduced ahead of the entry into effect of the new syllabus. Lastly, it observed that topics relating to the Alevi faith had been included in the religious culture and ethics syllabus for secondary schools for the 2005/06 school year. 9. After receiving the letter from the Department rejecting their proposal, the applicants and 1,905 other people challenged the Department’s decision in the Ankara Administrative Court. Referring to the Court’s caselaw on the subject, they argued that the teaching provided in religious culture and ethics lessons could not be said to satisfy the criteria of objectivity and pluralism. In support of their argument they presented six reports drawn up by various experts who had studied the textbooks used for the subject. Referring to the findings of those reports, they maintained that the textbooks in question provided instruction based on a “Sunni” interpretation of Islam and could by no means be regarded as neutral visàvis other interpretations of Islam. They relied in particular on Articles 9 and 14 of the Convention and Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention. 10. The Ankara Administrative Court appointed of its own motion a committee of three experts tasked with drawing up a report on the teaching provided in the context of religious culture and ethics classes. 11. On an unspecified date a nine-page report written by a professor of Kalam (Islamic religious studies), a professor of education and a professor of religious sociology was added to the case file and sent to the applicants. The report stated in substance as follows. (i) For the purposes of the study the experts had examined the religious culture and ethics textbooks used in schools by Years 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11 as authorised by the Ministry of Education. The religious culture and ethics syllabus for primary schools had been adopted by a decision of 28 December 2006 of the Supreme Council for Education attached to the Ministry of Education and had been introduced in the 2007/08 school year to replace the previous syllabus of 19 September 2000. The new secondary syllabus had come into effect following a decision of 31 March 2005. The textbooks criticised by the applicants had therefore been prepared under the earlier syllabus. (ii) The textbooks were structured around three main themes: religious culture, ethics and national and spiritual values. The parts concerning ethics and national and spiritual values covered topics common to all citizens. The part concerning religious culture had been drafted using a supradenominational approach centred on fundamental concepts such as the Koran and the Sunnah (Sünnet), and did not favour any particular branch of Islam. (iii) The syllabus did not give precedence to any particular faith. On the contrary, the textbooks reflected a supra-denominational approach. The syllabus observed the principle of objectivity and did not give priority to any faith or any religious group. The textbooks and the syllabus were designed to deliver information on Islam using pedagogical methods. (iv) The use of the religious culture and ethics textbooks written by M. Şahinbaş and A. Kabakçı for Years 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 had been discontinued in the 2007/08 school year following the changes to the syllabus. They had been replaced by new textbooks written by Ministry of Education committees. The same was true of the textbooks for upper secondary schools, which had been replaced in the 2006/07 school year. In drawing up the new syllabus implemented in the 2006/07 school year, the Ministry of Education had taken full account of the points raised by the applicants. (v) Unlike the former syllabus, the new syllabus covered topics such as the principles of the Alevi faith, the worship, mystical philosophy, ethical understanding, prayers (niyaz) and collective prayer (cem) of followers of the Alevi faith, and also Alevi principles and rites such as the twelve religious services (12 hizmet), the path to God, the Hizir and Muharram fasts (Hızır ve Muharrem orucu), the four gates (4 kapɪ) and forty levels (40 makam), the three Sunnahs (3 sünnet) and the seven obligations (7 farz). In the course of preparing the school textbooks and choosing the topics relating to the Alevi faith, worship and ethics, extensive recourse had been had to publications written by prominent Alevis. (vi) While the teaching of religion as such took account of the precepts of the Koran and the life of the prophet Mohammed, the other interpretations of Islam were covered in the context of cultural information. Hence, the textbooks provided information on Alevism, Jafarism (caferilik), Hanafism (hanefilik), Shafism (şafilik), Shiism (şiilik) and the Sufi movements. They also provided teaching on the foundations of Islam and in particular the five prayers, pilgrimage, charity and sacrifice. Around thirty pages were devoted to the Alevi faith. (vii) In conclusion, the report recommended the addition of references to certain aspects of the Alevi faith, for instance festivals, and specified that the cemevi was a place of cultural exchange for Alevis rather than a place of worship. 12. On 14 September 2009 the applicants contested the expert report and filed additional pleadings. They submitted that the teaching that was provided focused on the Sunni interpretation of Islam and that the Alevi faith was presented in summary fashion. Providing examples, they argued that much of the information presented contained errors. In particular, they claimed that the symbols linked to their faith had been ignored and that the mosque was presented as the Muslim place of worship. They asserted that certain Sunni Muslim rituals, namely the prayers or Salat (namaz) and ablutions (abdest) were imposed and were presented according to the Sunni interpretation of Islam. They also complained that the experts had denied that the cemevi was the Alevis’ place of worship. They criticised the Year 5 textbook, in which the main rituals of Islam were reportedly listed as Salat, fasting, pilgrimage and charity, arguing that the information provided was confined to the Sunni interpretation of Islam, whereas, in their view, a theological debate was under way as to how Salat should be performed. Lastly, they alleged that the textbooks in question treated the Alevi faith as a tradition or culture rather than as a fully-fledged faith. 13. In a judgment of 1 October 2009 the Ankara Administrative Court rejected the applicants’ claims on the ground that the refusal of their request by the respondent authorities had conformed to the relevant legislation. The court referred to the findings of the report on the teaching of religious culture and ethics (see paragraph 11 above), taking the view that religious subjects were dealt with using a supra-denominational approach in the textbooks for both the old and the new syllabus. The court considered that the principle of State neutrality had thus been respected and that the new topics had been chosen taking into account the country’s educational needs. 14. The applicants lodged an appeal on points of law against the firstinstance judgment. 15. In a judgment of 13 July 2010, which was served on 2 August 2010, the Supreme Administrative Court dismissed the appeal on points of law and upheld the first-instance judgment, which it considered to be in conformity with both the procedure and the law. 16. The Government provided the following additional information. Between June 2009 and March 2011 a large number of workshops (çalıştay) had been held in Turkey, attended by leaders of the AleviBektashi and other faiths, with the aim of examining issues concerning the Alevi community. The topics covered included the teaching of religious culture and ethics in primary and secondary schools. Following these workshops it was decided that the Ministry of Education would overhaul the existing syllabus. A special meeting was organised, chaired by the Secretary of State and attended by the leaders of different faith groups in Turkey and Ministry of Education experts. It was decided at the meeting that the process of overhauling the syllabus would be overseen by the Ministry’s Religious Education Department. 17. A series of meetings was held within the Religious Education Department, designed to allow an exchange of views and to identify the wishes of the different faiths. The meetings were attended by AleviBektashi, Jafari and Alawi (nusayri) leaders and examined the current syllabus and textbooks. In addition, on the basis of the findings of a report prepared by the Alevi-Bektashi, Jafari and Alawi representatives, the syllabus and the textbooks were amended in order to respond – in large part, in the Government’s submission – to the concerns expressed by the leaders of those communities. The new religious culture and ethics textbooks were introduced at the start of the 2011/12 school year. After overhauling the syllabus the national authorities organised training seminars throughout the country for teachers of the subject. 18. In Turkey, pupils belonging to the Jewish and Christian faiths are exempted from religious culture and ethics classes in accordance with decision no. 1 of 9 July 1990 of the Supreme Council for Education. The latter decided on 25 June 2012 and 14 August 2012 to draw up a religious instruction syllabus specifically designed for Jewish and Christian pupils in primary and secondary schools. To that end, a meeting was held in Istanbul on 10 and 11 September 2012 with Christian spiritual leaders. The national authorities also appointed a university-based coordinator to oversee preparation of the syllabus. At the meetings concerning the new syllabus it was made clear that the spiritual leaders of the faiths concerned were free to design the programme of religious instruction in accordance with their own beliefs, lifestyles and traditions. Accordingly, the Christian representatives sent a draft syllabus to the Ministry of Education and the Jewish representatives informed the Ministry that their syllabus was being finalised. The draft syllabuses will be discussed at a meeting to be attended by representatives of the faiths concerned with a view to adoption of a final version. 19. The Government produced before the Court a document drawn up by the Religious Education Department of the Ministry of Education. According to this document, those responsible for preparing the syllabus had taken care in drawing it up not to favour a particular faith but instead to adopt a supra-denominational approach. The document also stated that the wishes of the different religious groups had been taken into account and that the children of Alevi citizens were not forced to follow a particular religious teaching or practice. It further specified that the new syllabus had been adopted on 30 December 2010 and had been introduced at the start of the 2011/12 school year. The document was accompanied by a summary of the new course content and extracts from the textbooks dealing with the various interpretations of Islam. It explained, among other things, that topics relating to the Alevi-Bektashi, Jafari and Alawi communities had been incorporated in the syllabus and textbooks in question. Those topics are set out below. The textbooks for Years 4 and 5 proposed activities related to the sayings of Ali (son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed). They also contained passages concerning the importance attached to cleanliness by Haci Bektaş Veli (a leading Sufi and founder of the Bektashi brotherhood in the fourteenth century). Under the heading “Different examples of prayers in our culture”, they dealt with the various interpretations of certain surahs and Alevi-Bektashi prayers. They also referred to the significance of certain days and nights in that faith. The Year 6 textbook dealt with the five compulsory prayers (namaz) and the call to prayer (ezan) and also took Jafari practice into account. It further referred to the role and importance of Ali in Islam. Lastly, it presented leading figures like Ali er-Riza, Ahmet Yesevi and Haci Bektaş Veli, who had contributed to the adoption of Islam in Turkey. In the textbook for Year 7, an item concerning the Muharram fast had been added to the chapter on fasting, which also contained an account of the Battle of Karbala. The chapter entitled “Different interpretations within Islam” explored the Alevi-Bektashi faith. This last section addressed the following topics: the different types of cem, the twelve religious services, the semah, the spiritual brotherhood (musahiplik), prayers and the Hizir fast. These topics were also covered in the Year 12 textbook. Lastly, the textbooks for Years 9, 10 and 11 presented important figures in the Alevi-Bektashi faith and, in different passages, highlighted the role and importance of Ali in Islam. 20. The applicants submitted three documents in particular to the Court. The first was a research report compiled for the “Educational reform initiative” (Eğitim Reformu Girişimi) by Ms M. Yıldırım, an expert on religious freedom and director of the “Initiative for freedom of religion and beliefs in Turkey”. The report is entitled “An assessment of the religious culture and ethics syllabus for the 2011/12 school year” (2011-2012 Öğretim Yılında Uygulanan Din Kültürü ve Ahlak Bilgisi Dersi Programına İlişkin bir Değerlendirme). After analysing the religious culture and ethics syllabus for the 2011/12 school year, the expert went on to state as follows: “Syllabus for Years 1 to 8 If we compare the new syllabus for religious culture and ethics with the previous one, we can see that the changes made do not amount to a thorough overhaul based on principles such as impartiality and objectivity. The changes consisted mainly in adding some new information and moving a few chapters. Among the additions, a long chapter is now devoted to the different interpretations of Islam and certain traditions within Islam (primarily the Alevi-Bektashi and Jafari traditions), including terminology, practices and references. As to the overall content in terms of the teaching goals and the areas covered, the values and concepts dealt with in the syllabus remain close to those in the previous syllabus and no major changes have been made. Reading materials have been added at the end of each chapter in order to reinforce what has been learnt. In addition, certain principles are spelled out, for instance ‘Pupils shall not be compelled to follow religious practices’ and ‘Pupils shall not be required to learn verses or hadiths by heart or to copy out prayers and surahs other than those contained in the textbooks’ ... Year 7 ... The chapter devoted to the different interpretations of Islam in the old Year 8 syllabus ... is now on the syllabus for Year 7. As to the content, the following topics have been added: ‘The Sufi interpretations of Islam ...’ and ‘The fundamental concepts in the Alevi-Bektashi tradition’. In the same chapter, the notion of a ‘branch’ (mezhep) has been replaced by that of ‘religious interpretation’. With regard to the Alevi-Bektashi tradition, it is stated explicitly that only the following concepts will be covered: ‘cem, cemevi, rizalik, kul hakki, the twelve services, semah, spiritual brotherhood, gülbenk and the Hizir fast’ and that ‘the cemevi is to be considered as the place where the cem takes place’, thereby avoiding stating that the cemevi is a place of worship. ... Syllabus for Years 9 to 12 If we compare the new religious culture and ethics syllabus with the previous one, we can see that, as for the other year groups, the changes made do not amount to a thorough overhaul based on principles such as impartiality and objectivity, but consist in a number of additions and the moving around of a few chapters. ... Year 12 ... We can observe that, as regards the acquisition of knowledge through revelation (vahiy) and through reason, the content of the chapter headed ‘Sufi interpretations in Islamic thought’ has been enhanced. [It covers topics] such as ‘The role and importance of ethics in Sufi thought ...’, ‘Different types of cem’, ‘Concepts such as semah, spiritual brotherhood and gülbenk’, ‘The importance of the month of Muharram and of Ashura in our culture’ and ‘The nusayri’ ... The activities include one entitled ‘Learning about the Sufi interpretations’, and it is stated that pupils will be asked to research one of the following topics: the yesevilik, the mevlevilik and the Alevi-Bektashi faith ... . It is [also] stated that topics such as ‘The role of Haci Bektaş Veli in the Bektashi understanding and in the development of the Alevi faith’ will be covered and that ‘in terms of its fundamental underpinnings, the nusayri faith is structured around the Koran ...’. ... ... Can the syllabus for the compulsory classes in religious culture and ethics be said to be compatible with the Toledo principles? An analysis of the course content shows that it combines elements of ‘classes on a given religion from the perspective of that religion’, ‘classes providing limited, but relatively objective information on other religions’, ‘classes in ethics rooted in a particular religion’ and ‘classes on Islamic-Turkish civilisation’ rather than classes on religions. In that connection, the syllabus does not state that the course comprises classes on religions; on the contrary, it is stated that it is a course of ‘religious instruction. In Article 24 of the Constitution, the term used is ‘instruction in religious culture’, referring to a knowledge of religious culture drawing on a variety of sources, as opposed to ‘religious instruction’ (see Supreme Administrative Court judgments E.2006/6 – K.2007/481, 28 December 2007, and E.2007/679 – K.2008/1461, 29 February 2008). Moreover, the same Article contains another provision dealing specifically with ‘religious instruction’. In the syllabus, the word ‘religion’ is commonly used to denote Islam, but is sometimes, confusingly, used in the general sense. The most significant changes in the new syllabus compared with the previous one lie in the addition of terminology, practices and references relating to other interpretations or traditions within Islam. One does not need to be an expert in theology to conclude that the approach, structure and priorities have remained the same, with the diversity existing within Islam being reflected only in a few additions to the previous syllabus. Brief analysis in the light of the Toledo principles According to the Toledo principles, teaching about religions should be sensitive, balanced, inclusive, non-doctrinal, impartial, and based on human rights principles relating to freedom of religion or belief. ... Non-doctrinal The changes made to the syllabus and textbooks are not such as to alter the doctrinal nature of the classes. The expressions ‘our religion’, ‘our divine scripture’ and ‘our prophet’ are used frequently and are taught as religious dogma. Impartial The State’s duty of impartiality is incompatible with any power on the State’s part to assess the legitimacy of religious beliefs. However, the fact of stating that the cemevi is a place where the cem is practised amounts to an assessment. The rejection of the generally accepted idea among Alevis that the cemevi is a place of worship is incompatible with the State’s duty of impartiality ... ... Assessment of the content in the light of the legal requirements – the State, parents and children ... The fact that, at both primary and secondary level, religious culture and ethics classes are compulsory and include the dogmas and practices of the Muslim faith, and that the children are assumed to be followers of that faith, is liable to result in situations of conflict with parents’ religious and philosophical beliefs... Likewise, the use of expressions such as ‘our religion’, ‘my religion’, ‘our sacred book the Koran’ and ‘our prophet’, and the teaching of the surahs of the Koran and the practice of Salat (namaz) mean that parents who do not subscribe to the Muslim faith may find their children receiving instruction other than that which they wish to pass on to them. Furthermore, the fact that the surahs of the Koran and the practice of Salat are regarded as [knowledge] to be acquired means that children are liable to face a conflict of allegiances with the beliefs handed down by their parents, in breach of the individual’s right not to be compelled to act in a manner running counter to his or her own convictions. ... In sum, the changes made to the syllabus for religious culture and ethics are not sufficient to put an end to the violation of parents’ right to ensure [their children’s] education in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions ... Conclusion Looking at the changes implemented in 2011/12, there has been some progress towards the desired goal, which is to ensure pluralist religious teaching, in so far as the compulsory classes in religious culture and ethics reflect the diversity existing within Islam in Turkey. These classes have also maintained their particular feature of dispensing both ‘teaching of the Muslim religion’ and ‘teaching of other religions’...” 21. The second document provided by the applicants was a study entitled “Issues regarding religion classes” (Din Dersi Sorunu), prepared on 23 January 2013 by M.K. Kılıç, a teacher of religious culture and ethics and education secretary of the teachers’ trade union Eğitim-İş. The parts of the study relevant to the present case read as follows: “... From the fourth year of the primary cycle until the end of upper secondary school, the syllabus for the classes in religious culture and ethics has been devised on the basis of the Sunni-Matrudi-Hanafite understanding of Islam. Either no instruction is given concerning other branches of Islam or these are considered as dissident branches (aykırı görüş). The main focus is always on Sunni Islam. Hence, the syllabus has not been prepared using a supra-denominational approach, but on the basis of a wholly denominational one (mezhepçi). ... In the textbooks, the Alevi faith is not regarded as a branch of Islam (mezhep). The syllabus deals only with the cultural aspects and folk traditions. In the textbook used in Year 7, in the chapter entitled “Interpretations within Islamic thought”, the Alevi faith is not regarded either as an interpretation of the faith (itikadi mezhep) or as a theological interpretation (fikhi yorum). It is described instead as a Sufi interpretation, with the result that it is not seen as one of the main branches like Sunnism or Shiism. In the syllabus for Years 7 and 12, the Alevi faith is placed in the same category as the Sunni brotherhoods (Sünni tarikatlar), that is to say, in a subcategory vis-à-vis the main branches, which reduces its value. From both a faith-based and a theological perspective, however, the Alevi faith is an independent branch of Islam. [It is true that], ... in the Alevi faith, the mystical and Sufi interpretation predominates. However, presenting this faith solely as a Sufi entity does not reflect the reality... In sum, in the syllabuses and textbooks for the classes in religious culture and ethics: 1. The Alevi faith is not considered as a branch of Islam in its own right, unlike Sunnism and Shiism. 2. Directly or indirectly, pupils are taught that the Alevi faith is a Sufi movement and that its rites are merely cultural and folk rituals rather than fundamental rites of Islam. 3. The Alevi faith is not recognised as a branch (mezhep) of Islam; the tenets of its faith and beliefs are disregarded. 4. Likewise, the following facts are not acknowledged: the cem, which is the fundamental prayer of the Alevi faith, is the equivalent of the Salat (namaz) of the Sunnis and Shiites. The Alevis’ Muharram fast is the equivalent of Ramadan. The cemevi, the Alevi place of worship, is the equivalent of the Sunni or Shiite mosque. The semah is not a cultural or folk ritual, nor is it a zikr (or dhikr) ceremony (a ritual prayer or litany practised by the Sufi brotherhoods); it is actually a form of prayer. 5. The saz or bağlama is a sacred instrument for Alevis. The Alevi faith is inseparable from [this instrument]. ... If the syllabus and textbooks for this course are revised in a manner which takes account of these factors, the issue as regards Alevis [in relation to this course] can be considered to have been largely resolved.” 22. The third document was a study entitled “Compulsory classes in religious culture and ethics: between pluralist ‘supra-denominationalism’ and majority confessionalism”. It was prepared in January 2013 by A. Yaman, professor at Abant İzzet Baysal University and Chair of Political History, who is also an Alevi leader, more specifically a dede (religious and spiritual leader). The parts of relevance to the present case read as follows: “...The syllabus for the compulsory classes poses the greatest difficulties for Alevis, as the course content and the training given to the teachers are not compatible with the Alevi approach. The teaching is dispensed by staff whose background is in Sunni beliefs and culture and who are graduates of the imam-hatip (imam and preacher) schools or the faculties of theology, where they follow a curriculum [in line with Sunni beliefs and culture]. Such an arrangement may be regarded as suited to the needs of Sunni citizens ... but it can hardly be acceptable for the same syllabus to be taught to Alevis. It is clear from recent developments that the argument that the course content is ‘supra-denominational’ is false. In that connection, why is it that the textbooks which in 2005 were supposedly ‘supra-denominational’ were amended in 2008 and 2011, with passages on the Alevis being added following the meetings? One particular – and admittedly perfectly respectable – school of religious thought predominates in this course, and the Alevi faith is not adequately represented. Alevi children are caught in a stranglehold between the information they receive at school and that which is handed down by their families. Furthermore, problems arise with certain teachers ... ... Taking into account the proposals made by the commission [responsible for revising the content of the syllabus] which was set up following the workshops on Alevi issues (Alevi calıştayları) – and some of whose meetings I myself attended – a collection of the proposed amendments to the textbooks was sent to the Minister of State. [Subsequently] ..., some changes were made to the textbooks for Years 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 13 published in 2011. However, if we compare the proposals and the changes actually made, we can see that the number of changes is not nearly sufficient, and that a strategy was adopted that was restrictive and/or sought to exclude certain elements (dışlayıcı). This is naturally a source of dismay. [I think it is fair to say that] the fact that the basic Alevi form of worship, the cem, is presented in the Year 7 and Year 12 textbooks under the section devoted to religious interpretations rather than in the chapter on worship clearly demonstrates that [the syllabus] was not devised on the basis of a supra-denominational approach and that the textbooks were written from a specific perspective. ... ...The commission’s proposal to recognise ‘the cemevi [as] a place of worship’ was disregarded ... Moreover, it is interesting to note that, whereas Salat is explained in detail using drawings [in the Year 5 textbook] and that, under the heading ‘Learning about the mosque’ [the different parts of the mosque] are illustrated with drawings and poems, no description is provided of any Alevi institution or rule. In these compulsory classes, Alevi pupils can learn about the main forms of worship only according to the Sunni understanding of Islam... Although the commission presented proposals concerning the inclusion of topics relating to the cem and the other Alevi forms of worship [in the chapter on worship of the Year 6 textbook], the approach adopted consists in stating that ‘worship takes the form of Salat’... The Alevi faith is presented in the context of the spiritual brotherhoods and Sufism, including the naksilik and kadirilik brotherhoods, etc., instead of featuring in the chapter on beliefs and worship. [Hence] the cemevi is presented merely as a gathering place for the brotherhoods ...” 23. The Government expressed doubts as to the objectivity and impartiality of the expert reports submitted by the applicants. They maintained in particular that the documents entitled “An assessment of the religious culture and ethics syllabus for the 2011/12 school year” and “Issues regarding religion classes”, submitted by the applicants, were not the work of academics.