Koyunbaba Dergahı access denied to Alevi worshippers in Çorum

Alevi citizens in the Osmancık district of Çorum were prevented from performing religious ceremonies at the Koyunbaba Dergahı. Following the refusal of local authorities and the Osmancık District Governor's Office to open the tomb for use as a cemevi, worshippers held their 'Birlik Cemi' in a nearby park and wooded area.

The ceremony included traditional elements such as the sharing of 'lokma', the performance of 'semah', and the recitation of 'duaz-ı imamlar'. Muharrem Erkan, President of the Black Sea Alevi Bektashi Federation, criticized the decision, stating that the closure of the dergah to Alevi worship violates constitutional rights regarding freedom of religion and conscience. Erkan further noted that the site's character has been altered by the establishment of a mosque and an imam within the premises.