According to a press release, experts appointed by the Human Rights Council urged authorities to protect the 1,500-year-old cathedral’s “outstanding universal value” that led to it being listed as a World Heritage Site.
Avoiding division
“In this difficult global context, it would be a historic mistake to take actions that divide rather than unite religious and cultural groups in Turkey and abroad,” said Karima Bennoun, the special rapporteur on cultural rights, and Ahmed Shahid, the special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief. “As someone said, ‘The dome of Hagia Sophia must be big enough to accommodate everyone.'”
Hagia Sophia was originally built as one of the world’s greatest masterpieces of Byzantine Christian architecture. It first became a mosque in 1453 during the Ottoman Empire, and after Turkey’s secularization in the 20th century, became a museum in 1934.
In this difficult global situation, any action that divides rather than unites religious and cultural groups in Turkey and abroad would be a historic mistake – UN human rights expert
The site is used by people of all faiths, including Christians and Muslims, as well as those with no religion, and has been widely hailed as an example of interreligious and intercultural dialogue for decades.
The experts said they expressed concern that the Turkish government’s July 10 decision to change the building’s status, and “the hasty implementation of this decision,” could violate Turkey’s obligations under rules derived from the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention.
‘Global importance’
“We share UNESCO’s concern that any transformation of a site of outstanding universal value requires prior notification and consultation of all stakeholders to ensure that the human rights of all people are respected,” they said. “Hagia Sophia is Turkey’s most visited tourist attraction and a monument of global importance.”
The experts also stressed the importance of proper arrangements for the protection of the site, following conflicting reports on the measures that have been implemented. “We call on the Turkish government to clarify the arrangements and ensure that cultural heritage experts remain responsible for the protection of the site. International and technical standards must be fully respected,” the independent experts added.
Language referring to the conquest used in discussions of the sites has raised concerns among experts, they said, as has the display of a sword that could be interpreted as a symbol of conquest by the head of the state religious affairs department at a high-level prayer service to mark the site’s change of status last Friday, which was also attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey. (File) Photo: UNESCO
The danger of a “chauvinist view” emerging
“In light of these developments, experts are concerned that changing Hagia Sophia’s status to a single site could introduce a single cultural narrative rather than the encounter of cultures that is the spirit that led to World Heritage status, and could hinder equal access to the site for people of all faiths and those of no faith,” the press release said.
“We have serious concerns about the right of everyone to access and enjoy cultural heritage, interreligious coexistence and secular space, and the equality and security of religious minorities, including Christians,” the experts said.
Similarly, they called for tolerance in general, hoping that opposition to mosque designations around the world would reflect universal values and non-discrimination, rather than presenting competing unitary visions that incite hatred towards Muslims: “It is essential to refrain from using cultural heritage as an instrument, and instead address its diversity in a way that allows the cultural rights of all to flourish.”
Engage in inclusive dialogue
“We encourage the Turkish government to engage in dialogue with all stakeholders. This is essential to ensure that Hagia Sophia remains a space reflecting the diverse traditions of Christianity, Islam and secularism, a space in which all can enjoy their cultural rights, and a symbol that unites all the people of Turkey,” the experts said.
Special Rapporteurs are not UN employees and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organization and serve the UN human rights system in their personal capacity.
