SBS experts:  “Authorities in Turkey have been reclaiming the buildings in the country’s southeast, from the Assyrian community, also known as Syriacs.

Around 50 Assyrian church properties have been seized by officials.

Mr Shahen said news of a possible cancellation of this order to relocate these properties provides little comfort.

“Still they insist that the deeds of these properties have to be registered with the Treasury,” he said.

“The threat is if it’s registered under the Treasury then it becomes property of the Turkish authorities and they can easily confiscate it at any time”.

Turkey’s Christian community has shrunk to around 0.3 per cent of its population, with many people moving to more liberal European countries.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/07/07/outrage-after-turkey-seizes-ancient-assyrian-religious-buildings