“The Ecumenical Patriarchate Faces Discrimination”
In the new report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), it was stated that the systematic discrimination faced by the Istanbul Ecumenical Patriarchate was comprehensively investigated.
Threats targeting religious properties in Türkiye, including places of worship, religious institutions and cemeteries, are being examined. Additionally, at the beginning of the report, emphasis is laid on the Treaty of Lausanne, which provides protection and religious freedom to non-Muslim communities. However, it provides a striking depiction of how these rights are often restricted, especially in actions taken against important Christian places.
According to Orthodox Times, the seizure of the Prinkipos Greek Orthodox orphanage by the Turkish authorities in 1964 is shown as the most obvious example of this, and it was also added to the report that neglect caused it to fall into disrepair over time. Even after the Ecumenical Patriarchate appealed to the European Court of Human Rights and regained ownership, the building remained badly damaged and neglected.
Although direct bombings and terrorist attacks have decreased over the past decade, the report highlights an increase in incidents such as vandalism, arson destruction of religious properties and looting.
Overall, the report suggests that these findings point to a greater political indifference towards protecting the property rights of non-Muslim minorities in the country.
