President Erdoğan: Turkey provides means of worshipping for its citizens from any religion

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed citizens at the groundbreaking ceremony of Levent Mosque in Istanbul.

Referring to the status of Hagia Sophia, President Erdoğan, underscoring that just as Turkey does not interfere in matters about places of worship in other countries, no one has the right or power to interfere in the places of worship in Turkey, stated: “Turkey provides means of worshipping for its citizens from any religion, faith and disposition. Currently, there are nearly 435 churches and synagogues open for worshipping in our country.”

The President further stressed: “The accusations made about Hagia Sophia against our country amount to a direct attack on our sovereignty rights. However, we are now going through a period during which mosques and other places of worship of people, who are members of other religions, are attacked in all parts of the world. Millions of people are put under all kinds of pressure, including threats to their lives, just because of their religious beliefs. This is exactly what needs to be thought over and against which measures must be taken.”