In the statement on Turkey on December the 3rd , the Commission stressed: “This year, an Armenian church was destroyed in Western Armenia, the Armenian cemetery of Van was completely destroyed. These are forms of intimidation when important places of religious and cultural importance are destroyed”.

According to Tony Perkins, religious minorities in Turkey, including followers of the Armenian Apostolic Church, are increasingly restricted by their rights. In its  report, the International Commission on Religious Freedom of the United States recommends that the State Department include Turkey in a special list, as the authorities of this country tolerate gross violations of the rights of religious minorities.