05/10/2020 Turkey (International Christian Concern) – The Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey released a statement on May 8th that the Church Dznunt Surp Asdvadzadni was targeted in a hate attack by an individual who tried to burn the church. The attempt was not successful and only caused minor damage to the church’s door. The perpetrator ran away from the scene.
Unfortunately, incidents targeting Armenian Christians are not unusual in Turkey. Most Armenians fled Turkey or were killed during the Ottoman-era genocide. Turkey has never acknowledged this genocide and instead defends the actions taken by its predecessor. It sets an example for the rest of society, who view Armenians as “dirty” and thus at the bottom of the social ladder. They are often discriminated against in the workforce and denied opportunities for free speech. The targeting of Armenian historical sites and churches is common. Oftentimes, the police fail to fully investigate these incidents leaving the Armenian community further exposed to additional incidents.