Turkey returns Selamet Han to Armenian foundation

The Selamet Han in Istanbul's Eminonu area, which was among properties confiscated from non-Muslim minority religious foundations in Turkey in 1974, has been returned to the Surp Pirgic Ermeni Hastanesi Vakfi (Armenian Surp Pirgic Hospital Foundation) thanks to the recently revised Foundations Law. The 2008 legal revisions paved the way for the return of assets and property previously seized from non-Muslim foundations by the state. Minority foundations have thus far applied for the return of 410 assets, of which 96 have been given back. Surp Pirgic's Bedros Sirinoglu said after the law went into effect the foundation applied for the return of 19 assets, and seven have been approved so far, including the Selamet Han.