FILE- In this Sunday, May 10, 2015 file photo, visitors walk towards the Byzantine-era Hagia Sophia, an UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Istanbul's main tourist attractions in the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul. Turkey's Council of State, the country's highest administrative court is expected Friday, July 10, 2020, to release a ruling on a petition requesting that a1934 decision that turned the Hagia Sophia into a museum be annulled.
The Council of State threw its weight behind a petition brought by a religious group and annulled a 1934 cabinet decision that turned the 6th-century building into a museum. Christodoulides said Turkey’s “escalating, flagrant violation of its international obligations is manifested in its decision to alter the designation of Hagia Sophia, a world heritage site that is a universal symbol of the Orthodox faith.”
The group that brought the case to court had contested the legality of the 1934 decision by the modern Turkish republic’s secular government ministers and argued that the building was the personal property of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered Istanbul in 1453. U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo said last month that the landmark should remain a museum to serve as bridge between faiths and cultures. His comments sparked a rebuke from Turkey’s Foreign Ministry, which said Hagia Sophia was a domestic issue of Turkish national sovereignty.
Built under Byzantine Emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was the main seat of the Eastern Orthodox church for centuries, where emperors were crowned amidst ornate marble and mosaic decorations.
This is a backward religion
We destroyed the Roman empire, we destroyed the Byzantine empire, the next opening masjid-aqsa.💪🇹🇷💪🇹🇷💪🇹🇷
Oh no. This is such a loss. Visited Hagia Sofia 13 yrs ago; it was breathtaking, such a beautiful juxtaposition of Muslim art and Christian iconography. The Blue Mosque, across from it, is also breathtaking and open to worship. Should have left the Hagia Sofia as a museum.
Make neutral news. Hagia Sophia was a mosque for 500 years.
A Turkish court Are you serious? There are no courts in Turkey. Turkey is a fascist country. Democracy is something that has no meaning there. Turkey is turning into radical Muslim country.
Built as the great Cathedral of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, Hagia Sophia became a Roman Catholic Cathedral in 1261. It was subsequently Stolen from Rome and the Catholics. RETURN IT TO ROME AND TO THE CATHOLICS.
Jewish synagogues 🕍 and Jewish organizations also received millions but the Zionist press covers that up.
The president of Turkey has formally reconverted Istanbul’s sixth-century Hagia Sophia into a mosque, hours after a high court annulled a 1934 decision that had made the religious landmark a museum. Orthodox Christians are dismayed.
What would jesus do ?
Sad news.
😂Courts, justice in Turkey? 😂 rterdogan trpresidency isn’t just President of Turkey. he is a lawmaker, a judge, a court, journalist, governor, mayor,... Every word comes out of his mouth is a law. Turkey is a party state&he thinks it’s his property and he rules as he pleased
Have they recognize the Armenian genocide they committed?
What jive turkey made this decision?
Classic fascist behaviour, anything different to their culture must not be tolerated, just like taliban blowing up buddhist statues
Under Erdogan, Turkey is becoming ISIS
The Turkish court is a big joke, like the Turkish democracy....
Sad but not surprising. Museums make us smarter, churches/temples/mosques make us dumber. This decision shows a trend. Simple as that...
You must be joking....... now I know for sure AKP supported ISIS....
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Erdogan will meet an unfortunate fate soon enough
Court ruling has Erdogan's Islamist autocrat fingerprints all over it.
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