A senior Turkish diplomat, Evren Dagdelen Akgun, has been designated as the special envoy to address intolerance and anti-Muslim sentiments by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Malta, currently holding the 2024 OSCE chairpersonship, appointed Akgun as the “Personal Representative of the Chairpersonship on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims,” according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s announcement on Thursday.
The ministry expressed its satisfaction with the appointment, emphasizing Turkey’s steadfast dedication to actively combatting intolerance and discrimination against Muslims.
Evren Dagdelen Akgun, a seasoned diplomat with three decades of experience in the Turkish foreign service, has held significant positions in Brussels, Washington, Uzbekistan, and Thailand, including serving as an envoy to the European Union.
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights has noted the increasing prevalence of intolerance and discrimination against Muslims in recent years.
In response to this trend, the OSCE, in a 2002 Ministerial Council decision, recognized the peril of rising public intolerance towards Muslims and denounced such discriminatory practices.
Since then, participating states have reiterated their commitment to combating intolerance against Muslims.
