Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned against the legitimization of anti-Islam sentiment, which has been restricting the freedom of worship and other freedoms for Muslims in different places across the world, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.
Speaking at an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Istanbul, Erdogan said attacks targeting Muslim communities have also been on the rise.
The issue of Islamophobia has become a growing threat across Europe, as several countries enact policies institutionalizing it, according to the European Islamophobia Report 2021.
It said countries such as the United Kingdom and France became "the main spots of anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobic incidents."
Erdogan has been a vocal critic of the rise of Islamophobia amid Western silence and inaction in the face of the growing problem, which affects millions of Muslims.
He also called on Muslim countries to enhance cooperation amid ongoing problems.
The president also criticized the West for its hypocrisy regarding the Daesh terrorist group, saying that French cement giant Lafarge's support for terrorism has been proven in the courts.
"Even though we are the only country that was involved in close combat and won a victory against Daesh, we are subjected to dirty accusations claiming otherwise," he said.