In the town of Akçakoca in the Düzce province of Turkey, a resident named Meral Algün was warned by a site manager and a staff member for entering the communal pool with a full-body swimsuit, known as a haşema, which they claimed was against the rules. In response, Algün filed a complaint with the Akçakoca District Police Department.
Following Meral Algün’s complaint, the Düzce Prosecutor’s Office issued arrest warrants for two individuals at the site in Ayazlı Mahallesi. The allegations against the site manager A.K. and staff member S.D. included incitement to hatred or animosity towards a group of people, as well as obstructing the exercise of freedom of belief, thought, and opinion.
Meral Algün stated that she and her family had purchased a summer house in the neighborhood recently and were not informed by the management that wearing a haşema in the pool was prohibited before moving in. Algün explained that when they tried to use the pool for the first time after buying the property, they were not aware of the ban on full-body swimwear.
Despite trying to explain their situation to the management, Algün and her family were subject to discrimination after moving in. She claimed that her husband was included in a messaging group where he informed the management about her dress preferences and how they would use the pool, but their efforts were disregarded.
After another incident at the pool where Algün was warned again by the staff member about her attire, she recorded the conversation with the site manager who reiterated the prohibition of haşemas in the pool. Algün expressed her sadness at experiencing such discrimination and stated that this was a problem not only for herself but for all Muslim women who wear headscarves.
Meral Algün’s husband, Muhammed Algün, emphasized that they would pursue legal action in response to the incident, condemning the discriminatory behavior as unacceptable and incompatible with any ethical or religious values. He expressed his disapproval of the situation and highlighted the importance of addressing such issues to prevent them from reoccurring in the future.
