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The Supreme Court of Appeals of Turkey has annulled the decision to expropriate Surb Giragos Church located in Sur province of Diyarbakir, Istanbul-based Armenian-Turkish weekly Agos reported.

The source reminds that the decision for an urgent expropriation of the church, which is also the largest Armenian church in Middle East, was adopted in March 2016. Apart from the mentioned church, Surb Sarkis Chaldean Church, Armenian Catholic Church, St. Mary Syriac Church and Protestant Church were among the places that were subjected to expropriation by the Turkish cabinet.

Surb Giragos Armenian Church Foundation appealed to Council of State for stay of execution and annulment of the expropriation.

According to the report, the court has sent an inquiry to Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning, that carried out the expropriation, over the state of the building, its historical value and the aim of expropriation. 

Despite the fact, the court received no clarifications from the ministry ad decision has been adopted to suspend the process. The court ruling reads the Church is registered in the list of immovable properties, protected by the Law on the Conservation of Cultural and Natural Property.

In the ruling, it is stated that the urgent expropriation is also contrary to the international conventions and the Treaty of Lausanne referred. 

According to that document, minorities are given equal rights for founding, administrating and controlling religious, charitable and social institutions, while the Turkish government guaranteed that it will protect the churches and religious institutions belonging to minorities.