All news

Migrant crisis shames humankind — Erdogan

We are full of grief to see how people are being stripped not only of the right to religious worship, their roots and land, but the main right — the right to life, the Turkish leader says
Children at the protest staged by migrants in Turkey AP Photo/Emrah Gurel
Children at the protest staged by migrants in Turkey
© AP Photo/Emrah Gurel

MOSCOW, September 23. /TASS/. All humankind should be ashamed of the situation in the Middle East responsible for triggering the migrant influx to Europe, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a ceremony of Moscow’s Grand Mosque opening on Wednesday.

"Refugees from Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Libya — countries that are our neighbors — have flocked to European borders hoping to find peace and salvation," Erdogan said.

"We are full of grief as it is painful to see how people are being stripped not only of the right to religious worship, their roots and land, but the main right — the right to life," the Turkish leader said.

"Developments on the Mediterranean coast are on the conscience of all humankind. It must be ashamed of it," he added.