President Abdullah Gul late Friday approved the controversial constitutional amednments that will allow the lifting of the headscarf ban at universities.

Gul's office issued a written statement saying the the constitutional amendments did not contradict the general principles of the law and basic principles of the Republic.

Turkey's secularist opposition claims the lifting of the bans would amount to violation of the secularist system which is the foundation of the Turkish Republic.

A statement released by the Presidential Press Center said, "there is a need to understand the fears of some of our citizens and to bring to life measures that will remove these fears."

It was understood that constitutional amendments --in Articles 10 (equality) and 42 (right to education) of the Constitution-- aimed to strengthen the equality principle and right to education, the statement said.

The first amendment (to article 10 of the Constitution) inserts the statement "...and in benefitting from all public services" in the last sentence of the article 10 of the Constitution "equality before the law."

Under this amendment, last sentence of article 10 says "state organs and administrative authorities shall act in compliance with the principle of equality before the law in all their proceedings and in benefitting from all public services."

The second amendment (on article 42 of the Constitution on "Right and Duty of Training and Education") adds the paragraph "no one can be deprived of his/her right to higher education for reasons not openly mentioned by laws. The limits of the use of this right will be determined by law."The Law No. 5735 envisages amendments in Articles 10 (equality) and 42 (right to education) of the Constitution.












ANKARA (A.A) - 22.02.2008 - Constitutional amendments aiming to lift headscarf ban in universities did not contradict general principles of the law and basic principles of the Republic, the President's Office said on Friday.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul approved constitutional amendments aiming to lift headscarf ban in universities.

A statement released by the Presidential Press Center said, "there is a need to understand the fears of some of our citizens and to bring to life measures that will removethese fears."

It was understood that constitutional amendments --in Articles 10 (equality) and 42 (right to education) of the Constitution-- aimed to strengthen the equality principle and right to education, the statement said.

The first amendment (to article 10 of the Constitution) inserts the statement "...and in benefitting from all public services" in the last sentence of the article 10 of the Constitution "equality before the law."

Under this amendment, last sentence of article 10 says "state organs and administrative authorities shall act in compliance with the principle of equality before the law in all their proceedings and in benefitting from all public services."

The second amendment (on article 42 of the Constitution on "Right and Duty of Training and Education") adds the paragraph "no one can be deprived of his/her right to higher education for reasons not openly mentioned by laws. The limits of the use of this right will be determined by law."The Law No. 5735 envisages amendments in Articles 10 (equality) and 42 (right to education) of the Constitution.