ARMENIAN PATRIARCH OF TURKEY SAYS ANKARA CONTINUES DISCRIMINATORY POLICY AGAINST NON-MUSLIMS

ISTANBUL, MARCH 23, ARMENPRESS: In an interview to a Turkish daily Hurriyet the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey and Istanbul, Archbishop Mesrop Mutafian, said the government of Turkey continued the discriminatory policy against its non-Muslim national minorities.

As an example he cited a government decision that exempts donations to Muslim foundation from taxes and imposes huge taxes on donations to Christian and other religious foundations. He said also the government pays for electricity consumed by mosques, while this privilege does not apply to Christian churches, though Christians, like Muslims are also citizens of Turkey and pay taxes.

Mutafian cited another example, saying the government pays for accommodation of Muslim pilgrims when they visit holly Islam sites. which is not the case with Christians and Jews when they make pilgrimage to Jerusalem. “All these manifestations of discrimination make Christians feel humiliated,” the Armenian Patriarch said, adding also that the government has not responded to the Armenian Patriarchate’s request to open a theological department at an Istanbul University for Christian Armenian students.