In a historic and groundbreaking ruling, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 condemned Turkey for violation of the freedom of religion, and upheld the rights of two clergymen of the Ecumenical Patriarchate whom Turkish authorities had barred from seeking election to the administrative boards of Greek Orthodox Vakıflar (pious foundations).
Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, National Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, stated: “We give heartfelt thanks to our loving God for this momentous victory. The Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate have been laboring for decades now for the protection of the religious freedom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and all persecuted Christians worldwide, and it is extremely gratifying to see the European Court of Human Rights affirm the justice of our cause and uphold the rights of the long-suffering Greek Orthodox Christian community of Constantinople.”
“The struggle lasted 15 whole years,” said Paris Asanakis, legal counsel to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, “first within Turkey and then before the European Court, but vindication has finally arrived. This is a historic decision. First and foremost, because it dismantles a century-old doctrine upheld and enforced by Turkey’s Directorate General of Foundations, which falsely claimed that the Treaty of Lausanne and its annexes prohibited members of the Greek Orthodox clergy from exercising administrative duties within minority foundations.”
The Vakıflar are public benefit institutions of a religious nature, self-governing foundations that manage churches, mosques, schools, educational institutions and hospitals. In 2008, Turkey enacted legislation providing for elections to determine the administrative boards of non-Muslim vakıflar.
However, the Turkish government continued its practice of denying the right to stand for election to the clergy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. It permitted only the election of lay members of the Greek Orthodox community. Two clergymen, the late Gennadios (born Nikolaos) Mavrakis and Georgios Kasapoglou, appealed to the courts, and have finally been vindicated.
The ECHR ruled: “Associations created in particular for the protection of cultural or spiritual heritage, the pursuit of social or economic objectives, the proclamation or teaching of a religion, or the assertion of an ethnic or minority identity, play an essential role in the functioning of a democratic society.” It added that “pluralism is indeed built on the genuine recognition and respect of cultural, ethnic and religious diversity, and harmonious interaction between persons and groups with different identities is essential for social cohesion.”
The ECHR’s ruling is an immense defense of that pluralism within the Republic of Turkey.
