Turkey ought to be placed on Special Watch List for barring foreign Christians, says US body

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has joined the European Parliament in taking over the difficulty of foreign Christians expelled from Turkey, many on “national security” grounds.

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.

Last month the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) “communicated” 20 cases of Christians being barred from Turkey to the country. Shortly after the EU Parliament passed a resolution condemning the expulsion of foreign Christians “carried out under unsubstantiated national-security pretexts and without due process”.

Now the USCIRF has taken an interest as well, saying it recommends placing Turkey on a Special Watch List for violations of non secular freedom.

Vicky Hartzle, Chair of USCIRF, said, “Turkey’s arbitrary labelling of foreign-born Protestant Christians as national security threats is supposed to intimidate the Christian community and forestall them from gathering for worship. Everyone, no matter residency status, has the proper to freedom of faith or belief under international law.

“The US administration should maintain the momentum President Trump made in his September meeting with President Erdoğan and push for tangible improvements to Turkey’s religious freedom record, including an end to its repressive tactics against Christians.”

Many of the Christians barred from entering Turkey are being represented by ADF International, which says some had lived in Turkey for a long time before being denied re-entry.

Kelsey Zorzi, Director of Advocacy at ADF International, said, “We hope that the US government and the international community will proceed to get up for this fundamental right and call on Turkey to place an end to the targeted expulsions of Christian missionaries.

“Peacefully practising the Christian faith is not any reason to be labelled as a security threat and expelled from the country these individuals lawfully built their lives in.”

Turkey has denied any improper actions and has denounced foreign interest in the difficulty as interference in its internal affairs.