The case opened by the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia regarding the historic Catholicosate of Sis is in progress.
We learn this from the website of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, where we read in particular:
As is known to our people, on the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia opened a case against the Turkish state, demanding the return of the historic Catholicosate of Sis. That case was the first legal step within the framework of the Armenian people’s struggle for their rights.
Indeed, the hearing of the case first opened before Turkey’s Constitutional Court was rejected, and then the Catholicosate applied to the European Court of Human Rights. The latter, proceeding from its principle that the case file submitted to it must have exhausted all stages of the judicial instances of the given country, instructed that the file be referred to Turkey’s Court of First Instance.
The Catholicosate’s legal committee, after the necessary consultations, decided to apply to Turkey’s Court of First Instance, with the clear conviction and outlook that after the case is rejected by Turkey’s judicial system, it will directly apply again to the European Court of Human Rights.
Let us note that about a month ago, with regard to the said case, Turkey’s Court of First Instance issued its ruling, and the file is now before the Appeals Court.
The Catholicosate’s legal committee, which includes Armenian and foreign jurists, under the chairmanship of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, is closely following the legal process of the case. Naturally, we shall keep our people informed of future developments.
