Syriac-Orthodox monastery in Turkey: Court proceeding status

The Syriac Universal Alliance (SUA), the acknowledged voice of the Syriac/Aramean people, reports that the three court proceedings held today on Wednesday, February 11 2009, in Midyat, Turkey, have once again been postponed.

The three trials held today involved the following:

1. Boundary Lines Case - The first court appeals proceeding has been initiated by the Monastery regarding its boundaries with the villages of Yayvantepe and Eglence and results from the redrafting of the Monastery Boundary Lines by Turkish authorities.

2. Forestry Land Case - The second court appeals proceeding has also been initiated by the Monastery against the Forestry Department in order to restore its property which is within the outer wall of the Monastery.

3. Personal Claims Against Monastery - These purely malicious and fictitious claims relating to several points, including praying and teaching Aramaic in the Monastery, use of the Forestry Land, use and confiscation of Monastery money and so on.

The trials relating to points 1 and 2 above, which involve the taking of approximately 300 hectares of land, were heard together in the Midyat Court Room. In less than twenty minutes, the Judge decided to postpone both cases until March 4, 2009. In his statement to the Court, the Judge requested a completed list of case witnesses and decided that the court proceedings had to be adjourned.

The third court case was delayed to May 6, 2009, based on what the Judge referred to as incomplete files. This case lasted only 10 minutes following initial statements from the lawyers and a quick decision from the Judge.

In all three trials, the Monastery Legal Team believed strongly that they had sufficient evidence and documents to move the case forward but the Judge refused and adjourned the case.