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EUROPEAN COURT EXPECTED TO DROP MINORITY PROPERTY CASES
Today's Zaman
Sept 2 2011
Turkey
Dozens of court cases filed against Turkey at the European Court of
Human Rights (ECtHR) over Turkey's unjust confiscation of property
and real estate belonging to non-Muslim minority groups in the 1930s
will be dismissed, following a government edict that was issued last
week promising the return of all property confiscated from religious
minorities.
Turkish religious minority groups have been seeking compensation
amounting to billions of lira in a number of cases filed against the
Turkish government at the ECtHR. Kezban Hatemi, a lawyer who has been
representing minority foundations in property cases for 25 years, said
one important ongoing case at the court involves a building which was
formerly a Greek elementary school in Ortakoy. Hatemi says that this
building was expropriated by Turkey, but since the government's new
regulations include paying compensation for property that has been
expropriated or sold to third parties, the cases at the ECtHR will
most likely be dismissed.
Hatemi said the new regulation will help non-Muslim groups in Turkey
feel at home for the first time. "The minorities will see for the
first time what it means to be equal citizens and to have confidence
in the state." She said non-Muslim groups have had to go through many
an ordeal in Turkey, such as the "asset tax" of the 1940s, when higher
taxes were levied upon religious minority groups, and the Sept. 6-7
pogrom of 1955, against İstanbul's Greeks and Armenians. "Now we have
entered a brand new era. Of course there will some deficiencies,
but now it is a fact that we have the awareness of being a solid
country within the rule of law."
There are thousands of pieces of real estate in Turkey whose rightful
owners are religious minority associations, most of them in the more
expensive neighborhoods of İstanbul, such as Osmanbey, Nişantaşı,
Bebek, Taksim and Arnavutkoy. A significant number of properties are
also owned by religious minorities in Mardin and Diyarbakır.
The new government edict, a decree that has the power of law,
allows minorities to register confiscated property with land
registry directorates within 12 months. In addition to buildings,
other edifices, such as fountains or cemeteries, will be returned to
religious foundations. The market value of property expropriated or
sold to third parties will be repaid to the original owners by the
treasury or relevant general directorate.
From: Baghdasarian
Today's Zaman
Sept 2 2011
Turkey
Dozens of court cases filed against Turkey at the European Court of
Human Rights (ECtHR) over Turkey's unjust confiscation of property
and real estate belonging to non-Muslim minority groups in the 1930s
will be dismissed, following a government edict that was issued last
week promising the return of all property confiscated from religious
minorities.
Turkish religious minority groups have been seeking compensation
amounting to billions of lira in a number of cases filed against the
Turkish government at the ECtHR. Kezban Hatemi, a lawyer who has been
representing minority foundations in property cases for 25 years, said
one important ongoing case at the court involves a building which was
formerly a Greek elementary school in Ortakoy. Hatemi says that this
building was expropriated by Turkey, but since the government's new
regulations include paying compensation for property that has been
expropriated or sold to third parties, the cases at the ECtHR will
most likely be dismissed.
Hatemi said the new regulation will help non-Muslim groups in Turkey
feel at home for the first time. "The minorities will see for the
first time what it means to be equal citizens and to have confidence
in the state." She said non-Muslim groups have had to go through many
an ordeal in Turkey, such as the "asset tax" of the 1940s, when higher
taxes were levied upon religious minority groups, and the Sept. 6-7
pogrom of 1955, against İstanbul's Greeks and Armenians. "Now we have
entered a brand new era. Of course there will some deficiencies,
but now it is a fact that we have the awareness of being a solid
country within the rule of law."
There are thousands of pieces of real estate in Turkey whose rightful
owners are religious minority associations, most of them in the more
expensive neighborhoods of İstanbul, such as Osmanbey, Nişantaşı,
Bebek, Taksim and Arnavutkoy. A significant number of properties are
also owned by religious minorities in Mardin and Diyarbakır.
The new government edict, a decree that has the power of law,
allows minorities to register confiscated property with land
registry directorates within 12 months. In addition to buildings,
other edifices, such as fountains or cemeteries, will be returned to
religious foundations. The market value of property expropriated or
sold to third parties will be repaid to the original owners by the
treasury or relevant general directorate.
From: Baghdasarian