Turkey has rejected claims from the European Parliament that it has improperly expelled foreign Christians from the country.
Since 2020, over 200 foreign Christian staff have been expelled from the country, in total impacting around 350 people.
Many Protestant congregations are left without spiritual leadership, as lots of those targeted are ordained ministers, a few of whom have spent a long time within the country.
Foreign Christians are frequently barred from entering or re-entering the country on “national security” grounds.
Earlier this month the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) “communicated” 20 such cases to the Turkish government, asking the country to submit its observations because the cases proceed.
In addition to this, the European Parliament overwhelmingly passed a resolution condemning the expulsion of foreign Christians “carried out under unsubstantiated national-security pretexts and without due process”.
Turkey’s foreign ministry said such claims were “unfounded allegations” and represented interference in its internal affairs.
Legal advocacy group ADF International, which is supporting lots of the 20 cases raised by the ECHR, said that Turkey was misusing rules aimed toward stopping terrorism to focus on peaceful Christians, a few of whom have spent a long time within the country.
Kelsey Zorzi, Director of Global Religious Freedom at ADF International, said, “The Turkish government’s rejection of the European Parliament’s vote shows a transparent lack of respect for its human rights obligations.
“When a government weaponizes national security mechanisms to focus on peaceful missionaries and faith communities, they have to not be allowed to act with impunity.”
During a debate on the problem within the European Parliament, Croatian MEP Tomislav Sokol said, “These deportations of Christians in Turkey for reasons of national security are another attack on Christians, probably the most persecuted religious minority all over the world.”
He added, “The EU cannot talk of human rights after which remain silent when Christians are facing problems in Africa or persecution in a neighbouring country.
“We must arise for freedom of faith in all places with none double standards … Turkey must put a stop to those deportations of Christians.”
 Turkey has rejected claims from the European Parliament that it has improperly expelled foreign Christians from the country. Since 2020, over 200 foreign...){kind=link}