Turkey’s State Council, the highest administrative court, has annulled the decision of the Council of Ministers on nationalization of the St. Giragos Armenian Church of Diyarbakir, reported Istanbul’s Agos Armenian Weekly.

On March 21, 2016, due to the Turkish-Kurdish clashes that began in Sur province of Diyarbakir, the Council of Ministers of Turkey rendered a decision on a large part of the province. Among the territories to be nationalized were the St. Giragos Armenian Church, the St. Sarkis Keldan Church, the Armenian Catholic Church, the St. Mary’s Assyrian Church and the Protestant Church.

On behalf of the St. Giragos Armenian Church Foundation, lawyer Ali Elbeyoglu had filed a lawsuit to the State Council against the decision on nationalization, and the appeal was upheld.

The State Council stated that the St. Giragos Armenian Church is cultural heritage that needs to be under protection. In addition, the decision stated that the church is open for religious ceremonies and that it has to be renovated soon due to destruction caused by the Turkish-Kurdish clashes.

Since 2015, the St. Giragos Armenian Church has been closed. Security officials don’t even let anyone come close to the area near the church, but even in this case, the church has been severely damaged and robbed.