European Court Investigates Turkish Entry Bans on Christians
In a significant development, the European Court of Human Rights has initiated proceedings concerning 20 cases of Christians who were barred from reentering Turkey, having been labeled as threats to national security. These individuals, predominantly foreign residents, claim that their exclusion was solely linked to their peaceful religious activities.
Since 2019, Turkish authorities have employed codes like “N-82” and “G-87” to prevent at least 160 foreign Christians from entering or staying in the country. This information comes from the legal advocacy group ADF International.
The majority of those affected have no criminal history. Their involvement with Christian worship or ministry, including roles as pastors, teachers, and missionaries, appears to be their only common denominator.
The European court has grouped these cases, indicating they share significant similarities, and has requested Turkey to provide its response.
Lidia Rider from ADF International stated, “Peaceful worship and participation in church life are not threats to national security.”
David Byle, who ministered in Turkey for 19 years, was expelled after being identified by one of these codes. Similarly, Pam and Dave Wilson, who served for nearly 40 years, and a couple named Rachel and Mario Zalma, were designated with an N-82 code after attending a church gathering.
ADF International is representing four applicants in these court proceedings and supports most others. The group has also collaborated with Turkish attorneys and submitted scholarly papers highlighting systemic religious rights violations.
According to Kelsey Zorzi, director of Global Religious Freedom at ADF International, “These are not isolated mistakes or one-off decisions.”
Christians from the U.S., U.K., Germany, South Korea, Latin America, and other European countries have faced visa denials or deportations. Many had resided in Turkey for long periods with their families, without any legal issues.
The Association of Protestant Churches’ 2024 Human Rights Violation Report identified 132 individuals who were unjustly marked with entry ban codes due to their Christian faith, bringing the total affected to 303. The report also detailed various incidents of violence and discrimination against Christians in Turkey.
In December, a person shot at the Salvation Church in Çekmeköy from a moving vehicle and attempted to remove its signage. Additionally, a Christian English teacher in Malatya was dismissed without explanation, following warnings about her church activities.
Churches in Kayseri, Bahçelievler, and İzmir reported vandalism, threats, and physical damage in 2024. Other incidents involved denied permissions for distributing religious material and the cancellation of holiday event invitations. Furthermore, social media harassment against church leaders and members has reportedly increased.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
