The Story of an Alien(ation): Real Estate Ownership Problems of non-Muslim Foundations and Communities in Turkey
- Turkey’s ‘minority problem,’ which is contemporary with the Republic, has been among the fundamental political issues of the country since 1923, when the Treaty of Lausanne was signed. Non-Muslim Turkish citizens were given minority status, and gained a series of individual and collective rights, under the Treaty of Lausanne. These rights were not implied by this minority status or based on prerogatives, but were based on the principle of equality with Muslim
citizens. However, the Turkish state has systematically violated its obligations under the Treaty, negating the legal protection its non-Muslim citizens are entitled to. This report provides an historical account of the real estate ownership problem experienced by non-Muslim foundations in Turkey since the Ottoman period, and to situate the current situation in Turkey's EU accession process.