Hagia Sophia: converting museum to mosque `will undermine Turkey`s image`
(WorldNews Europe)

Reverting Istanbul`s Hagia Sophia to a mosque is a political gambit that will further undermine Turkey`s global standing on freedom of religion and minority rights, according to a leading expert on religious heritage. Turkey`s top administrative court on Friday announced its decision to revoke the 1,500-year-old former cathedral`s status as a museum. The ruling paved the way for it to be opened as a mosque again, a change championed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “Erdogan`s decision to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque is a political ploy to boost his waning voter support while also a move to mark his legacy,” said Tugba Tanyeri Erdemir, a member of Turkey`s Association for the...