Turkey converts Chora into a mosque as USCIRF puts the spotlight on religious freedom

Earlier this week Turkey formally opened the monastery of Chora, a former Byzantine church and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Istanbul, as a mosque. The move follows the conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 2020, and has drawn international criticism. It also comes as the US Commission on International Religious Freedom once again recommended that Turkey be put on the special watch list for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom. Expert Tugba Tanyieri Erdemir joins Thanos Davelis to look at what this decision will mean for Chora Church, and look at the message it sends on religious freedom, especially in light of the latest USCIRF report. Tugba Tanyieri Erdemir is the coordinator of Anti-Defamation League's Task Force on Middle East Minorities, serves as the co-chair of the Middle East Working Group of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable, and is an expert on religious cultural heritage. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Turkey formally opens another former Byzantine-era church as a mosqueUSCIRF 2024 Annual ReportNorth Macedonia elects first woman president, EU-leaning coalitionGreece extends naval advisory to deter Russian oil ship-to-ship transfers