Human rights chairman condemns attack on Armenian church

Chairman of the Turkish Parliament's Human Rights Investigations Committee and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Istanbul Deputy Mustafa Yeneroğlu strongly condemned a recent attack on the Armenian Church of Surp Takavor located in Istanbul's Kadıköy district, saying that security forces will hold perpetrator(s) accountable for the crime.

In a message posted on his official Twitter account, Yeneroğlu said that Turkey will not be provoked by such indecent acts, as he expressed sympathy with the Armenian community. He also gave a message of unity, saying that "Turkey belongs to all of us."

Unidentified attacker(s) dumped garbage and wrote racially offensive graffiti on the church's wall, Turkish-Armenian daily Agos reported Monday.

The report noted that the church administration identified the attacker after checking security camera footage and said that the attacker had come to the church during the Sunday service and displayed "erratic" behavior.

Police launched an investigation into the incident, the report said.

The Municipality of Kadıköy also condemned the attack and said municipal workers immediately cleaned the area.

Since the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) came to power in 2002, Turkey has sought to restore the rights of religious minorities as well as the worship houses of faithful minorities, ranging from Assyrians to Jews and Greeks. Many properties have been returned to these minorities decades after they were forcefully confiscated by the Turkish state, while the government continues to pursue a policy of restoring abandoned historical buildings.