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ANKARA: International Religious Freedoms Report Of 2011

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  • ANKARA: International Religious Freedoms Report Of 2011

    INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS REPORT OF 2011

    Anadolu Agency (AA)
    July 30, 2012 Monday
    Turkey

    U.S. Department of State made public its 2011 International Religious
    Freedoms report. WASHINGTON In the section on Turkey, the report drew
    attention to the Turkish government's steps to facilitate the return
    of property to minority foundations. "The constitution and other laws
    and policies protect religious freedom, and in practice, the Turkish
    government generally respected religious freedom," the report said.

    "However, some constitutional provisions restricted this right. The
    government's actions demonstrated a trend of improving respect for and
    protection of the right to religious freedom. Notably, the government
    issued a decree facilitating the return of or compensation for property
    confiscated from religious community foundations in previous decades,"
    the report stated. "The government continued to impose limitations
    on Muslims and other religious groups, including restrictions on
    Muslim religious expression in government offices for the stated
    reason of preserving the "secular state," the report underlined. "The
    Turkish government did not clarify the legal authority under which
    the Greek Orthodox Halki seminary could reopen after being closed for
    40 years. Some religious groups also faced restrictions on freedom of
    worship, difficulties in registration with the government, property
    ownership, and the training of their followers and clergy. Although
    engaging in religious speech and persuasion are legal, some Muslims,
    Christians, and Baha'is faced restrictions and occasional harassment
    for alleged proselytizing or providing religious instruction to
    children," the report indicated.

    U.S. "Embassy and consulate officials, as well as frequent government
    visitors, took close interest in religious freedom in the country.

    During the year, embassy and consulate representatives met frequently
    with government officials and representatives of religious groups
    to discuss matters related to religious freedom, including legal
    reforms aimed at lifting restrictions on religious groups and property
    restitution issues," the report noted. "During the year, the government
    as well as local municipalities took steps to improve religious
    freedom. Notably, the government allowed community foundations to
    regain property that had been confiscated in previous decades and
    allowed certain new community foundations to be formed," the report
    stressed. "As happened in 2010, the government again permitted annual
    religious worship services to be held in religiously significant
    sites that had previously been converted to state museums, such as
    Sumela Monastery near Trabzon, Akdamar Church near Van, St.

    Peter's Church in Antakya, St. Nicholas' Church near Demre, and
    the House of the Virgin Mary near Selcuk. Some municipal leaders
    called for these sites to be opened to worship more frequently," the
    report said. "The municipality of Diyarbakir contributed support and
    a third of the money to the renovation of St. Giragos, an abandoned
    Armenian church in the city. Several municipalities around the country
    initiated plans to convert former churches, which had been standing
    abandoned or used as commercial venues, to cultural centers or museums
    with an emphasis on the religious significance of the building," the
    report stated. "As of July, graduates of imam hatip schools no longer
    faced an automatic minimal reduction in their university entrance
    examination grades if they applied for university programs other
    than theology, making it easier for them to study in any program they
    wish," the report emphasized. "In December, the government officially
    commemorated the Alevi holy day of Ashura for the first time," the
    report stressed. "In December, the General Directorate of Foundations
    (GDF) established a Jewish Foundation in Izmir, the first new religious
    community foundation," the report also said.

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