Istanbul municipality demolishes illegal building of religious cult

The opposition-run Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has demolished an illegal building belonging to the Hiranur Foundation, which is affiliated to the Islamic İsmailağa sect, in Sancaktepe district. The move came after a court ruled that the Foundation constructed the building where there should be a garden.

Thursday March 30 2023 11:30 pm

Duvar English

The opposition-run Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) on March 30 demolished an illegal building belonging to the Hiranur Foundation, which is affiliated to the Islamic İsmailağa sect.

The move came after a court ruled that the Foundation constructed the building where there should be a garden in Istanbul’s Sancaktepe district. Accordingly, the Hiranur Foundation had permission to build five blocks but constructed another building where there should be a garden.

The municipal police and officers went to the Foundation’s building in Sancaktepe and found that the illegal structure was not completely demolished by the foundation within the given period.

The teams cut the natural gas and electricity, and evacuated the building. After the evacuation, the building was demolished.

Gürkan Akgün, head of the İBB Department of Zoning and Urbanization, said that “The court decided that the (demolishment) was in accordance with legal procedures. In other words, the matter has also passed legal control.”

The Foundation’s lawyer Bulut Müslüm Gezer claimed that the building had a roof for the purpose of praying and that it was legal.

The İBB previously requested the Sancaktepe Municipality, run by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), to inspect the illegal building.

When there was no response, the illegal building of the Hiranur Foundation was sealed by the İBB on Dec. 12, 2022.

The Foundation applied to the court, but the court ruled that the building was constructed illegally.