'Treaty of Peace with Turkey. Signed at Sévres, August 10, 1920. [With Maps.]' [‎28v] (36/112)

34
The Turkish Government solemnly undertakes to facilitate to the greatest possible
extent the return to their homes and re-establishment in their businesses ot the 1 urkish
subiects of non-Turkish race who have been forcibly driven from their homes by tear ot
massacre or any other form of pressure since January 1, 1914. It recognises that any
immovable or‘ movable property of the said Turkish subjects or of the communities to
which they belong, which can be recovered, must be restored to them as soon as possible,
in whatever hands it may be found. Such property shall be restored tree of all charges
or servitudes with which it may have been burdened and without compensation ot any
kind to the present owners or occupiers, subject to any action which they may be able to
bring against the persons from whom they derived title.
The Turkish Government agrees that arbitral commissions shall be appointed by the
Council of the League of Nations wherever found necessary. These commissions shall
each be composed of one representative of the Turkish Government, one representative of
the community which claims that it or one of its members has been injured, and a
chairman appointed by the Council of the League of Nations. 1 hese arbitral commissions
shall hear all claims covered by this Article and decide them by summary procedure.
The arbitral commissions will have power to order :
(1) the provision by the Turkish Government of labour for any work of
reconstruction or restoration deemed necessary. This labour shall be recruited from the
races inhabiting the territory where the arbitiai commission considers the execution of the
said works to be necessary ;
(2) the removal of any person who, after enquiry, shall be recognised as having
taken an active part in massacres or deportations or as having provoked them ; the
measures to be taken with regard to such person’s possessions will be indicated by the
commission ;
(3) the disposal of property belonging to members of a community who have died or
disappeared since January 1, 1914, without leaving heirs ; such property may be handed
over to the community instead of to the State ;
(4) the cancellation of all acts of sale or any acts creating rights over immovable
property concluded after January 1, 1914. The indemnification of the holders will be a
charge upon the Turkish Government, but must not serve as a pretext for delaying the
restitution. The arbitral commission will however have the power to impose equitable
arrangements between the interested parties, if any sum has been paid by the present
holder of such property.
The Turkish Government undertakes to facilitate in the fullest possible measure the
work of the commissions and to ensure the execution of their decisions, which will be
final. No decision of the Turkish judicial or administrative authorities shall prevail over
such decisions.
Article 145.
All 1 urkish nationals shall be equal before the law and shall enjoy the same civil and
political rights without distinction as to race, language or religion.
Difference of religion, creed or confession shall not prejudice any Turkish national
in matters relating to the enjoyment of civil or political rights, as for instance admission
to public employments, functions and honours, or the exercise of professions and
industries.
\\ ithin a period of two years from the coming into force of the present Treaty the
I urkish Government will submit to the Allied Powers a scheme for the organisation of
an electoral system based on the principle of proportional representation of racial
minorities.
No restriction shall be imposed on the free use by any Turkish national of any
language in private intercourse, in commerce, religion, in the press or in publications.
of any kind, or at public meetings. Adequate facilities shall be given to Turkish
nationals of non-Turkish speech for the use of their language, either orally or in writing,
before the courts.
Article 146.
The Turkish Government undertakes to recognize the validity of diplomas granted
by recognised foreign universities and schools, and to admit the holders thereof to the
tree exercise of the professions and industries for which such diplomas qualify.
this provision will apply equally to nationals of Allied Powers who are resident'
in lurkey.