Tweet
Turkish Court Rejects Request to Return Historic Building to Armenian
Patriarchate
By MassisPost
Updated: July 4, 2014
ISTANBUL -- Turkey's Armenian Patriarchate has lost its legal battle to
reclaim the Sansaryan Han building, which was confiscated by the state
about seven decades ago, Today's Zaman reported.
The court rejection came in spite of a recent government plan to
return seized properties to minority groups.
The historic building, built in 1895 and commissioned by Migirdich Aga
Sanasaryan, was designed by architect Hovsep Aznavour. It was seized
by the Turkish state in the early years of the republic. The Armenian
Patriarchate has been fighting a legal battle for its return since
2011.
The Istanbul 13th Court of First Instance rejected the patriarchate's
request for the return of Sansaryan Han in the last session on Friday,
attended by lawyers representing both the Patriarchate and the
Treasury.
A contractor leased the building on June 18 from Turkey's Directorate
General for Foundations (VGM). The lease agreement was executed before
the conclusion of the lawsuit and prompted speculation that the
building will be turned into a hotel.
Ali Eyuboglu, an attorney for the Armenian Patriarchate, said the
court's reasons for not returning the building are not clear as all
the documents and expert reports indicate that the building rightfully
belongs to the patriarchate. Eyüboglu said they will appeal the
decision once the court issues its reasoned opinion regarding the
verdict.
In a related development, Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputy
Chairman Sezgin Tanrikulu submitted a parliamentary motion addressed
to Minister of Culture and Tourism Omer Celik inquiring whether the
speculation that the Sansaryan Han will be turned into a hotel is
true.
Minority foundations, seeking the return of properties that were
seized by the Turkish state in the first decade of the Turkish
Republic, have long been saying that they have experienced a number of
challenges. Despite a 2011 law passed to ensure confiscated property
be returned to its rightful owners, the foundations indicate that
reclaiming the properties is not going to be easy.
In August 2011, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party)
government adopted legislation to return all confiscated immovable
property belonging to minority foundations in Turkey, a long-overdue
step towards expanding the rights of minorities in the country. The
decree allows foundations to reclaim real property declared in 1936,
when all the foundations were asked by the government to present lists
of their property assets. Applications for at least 88 items have been
rejected.
http://massispost.com/2014/07/turkish-court-rejects-request-to-return-historic-building-to-armenian-patriarchate/
Patriarchate
By MassisPost
Updated: July 4, 2014
ISTANBUL -- Turkey's Armenian Patriarchate has lost its legal battle to
reclaim the Sansaryan Han building, which was confiscated by the state
about seven decades ago, Today's Zaman reported.
The court rejection came in spite of a recent government plan to
return seized properties to minority groups.
The historic building, built in 1895 and commissioned by Migirdich Aga
Sanasaryan, was designed by architect Hovsep Aznavour. It was seized
by the Turkish state in the early years of the republic. The Armenian
Patriarchate has been fighting a legal battle for its return since
2011.
The Istanbul 13th Court of First Instance rejected the patriarchate's
request for the return of Sansaryan Han in the last session on Friday,
attended by lawyers representing both the Patriarchate and the
Treasury.
A contractor leased the building on June 18 from Turkey's Directorate
General for Foundations (VGM). The lease agreement was executed before
the conclusion of the lawsuit and prompted speculation that the
building will be turned into a hotel.
Ali Eyuboglu, an attorney for the Armenian Patriarchate, said the
court's reasons for not returning the building are not clear as all
the documents and expert reports indicate that the building rightfully
belongs to the patriarchate. Eyüboglu said they will appeal the
decision once the court issues its reasoned opinion regarding the
verdict.
In a related development, Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputy
Chairman Sezgin Tanrikulu submitted a parliamentary motion addressed
to Minister of Culture and Tourism Omer Celik inquiring whether the
speculation that the Sansaryan Han will be turned into a hotel is
true.
Minority foundations, seeking the return of properties that were
seized by the Turkish state in the first decade of the Turkish
Republic, have long been saying that they have experienced a number of
challenges. Despite a 2011 law passed to ensure confiscated property
be returned to its rightful owners, the foundations indicate that
reclaiming the properties is not going to be easy.
In August 2011, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party)
government adopted legislation to return all confiscated immovable
property belonging to minority foundations in Turkey, a long-overdue
step towards expanding the rights of minorities in the country. The
decree allows foundations to reclaim real property declared in 1936,
when all the foundations were asked by the government to present lists
of their property assets. Applications for at least 88 items have been
rejected.
http://massispost.com/2014/07/turkish-court-rejects-request-to-return-historic-building-to-armenian-patriarchate/