In response to the conversion of the historic Monastery of Chora into a Muslim place of worship, the US State Department reiterated its stance on Wednesday, urging Turkey to uphold access to monuments of various religious communities.
A spokesperson for the State Department emphasised the importance of ensuring access to these monuments while respecting their diverse historical significance. The spokesperson acknowledged awareness of the reopening of the "Museum of Chora, a World Heritage Site," as a mosque, directing further inquiries to the Turkish government for elaboration.
Furthermore, the spokesperson encouraged Turkey to safeguard and maintain accessibility to sites and structures that have served as places of worship for different religious communities, emphasising the need to honour their varied histories.
This echoes the stance previously expressed by the State Department in July 2020 when Hagia Sophia underwent a similar conversion from a museum to a mosque.
(Source: Amna)
