Since the failed coup of July 2016, the level of intolerance against those not siding with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has intensified. Turkish nationalism, combined with the growing Islamisation of Turkish society, means the tiny Christian minority, and other religious minorities, face mounting pressure, which is increasingly translating into violent incidents. While religious conversion is not prohibited by Turkish law, there are serious implications for Muslims who convert to Christianity, as they often experience intense pressure from family, friends and community to return to Islam.
Turkish court blocks US Christian’s deportation
David Byle preaching in Turkey.World Watch Monitor Turkey’s Constitutional Court intervened promptly this week to block temporarily the pending deportation and re-entry ban ordered against a US citizen active in Christian ministry in Turkey for the past 17 years. Without the high court’s provisional ruling, Canadian-American David Byle would […]
Turkey nightclub-massacre accused says he targeted Christians
The man charged with killing 39 people on New Year’s Eve at Istanbul’s exclusive Reina nightclub attack, Abdulkadir Masharipov, has testified before a Turkish court, saying: “My purpose was to kill Christians”. The Uzbek national was arraigned in court 11 Feb., nearly a month after he was captured by Istanbul police 16 […]
Turkey rejects initial appeal to release jailed US pastor
Andrew Brunson has been held since early October.The Brunson family A Turkish court denied an initial appeal last week for the release of Rev. Andrew Brunson, an American Protestant pastor kept under arrest for the past three months over alleged links to a terrorist organisation. In the wake of […]
‘No Christmas or carol singing’ orders in Santa Claus’ homeland Turkey
Istanbul Erkek Lisesi, also known as Istanbul High School, Istanbul 2011© Guillaume Piolle / CC “No more Christmas celebration and/or lessons on Christmas including carol singing is permitted, effective immediately”. An email on 13 December sent to about 35 German-funded teachers at Istanbul Erkek Lisesi (also known as Istanbul High […]
UPDATE: Turkey jails US pastor on ‘terrorism’ allegations
UPDATE (9 Dec.): A Turkish judge sent Rev. Andrew Brunson to prison in Izmir today, 64 days after the US pastor and his wife, Norine, were detained on 7 Oct. under Interior Ministry deportation orders. Although his wife was released on 19 Oct. and given an extended permit to remain […]
US academic and refugee aid worker ‘banned for life’ from Turkey
Ryan Keating was a doctoral student at Ankara University.World Watch Monitor Turkey deported an American Christian pursuing doctoral studies at Ankara University this week, revoking his residence visa 10 years after the scholar and his family first arrived in the country. Ryan D. Keating, a Yale University graduate, was refused entry […]
UPDATE: Malatya murderers re-arrested over fears they may flee Turkey
UPDATE (3 Oct.): Five Turkish men convicted last week of the 2007 murder of three Christians in southeast Turkey – but allowed to remain free – have been re-arrested. They were picked up on Thursday evening (29 Sep.) after the prosecutor, Burhanettin Olgun, expressed fears they may flee Turkey. […]
Faked ‘news’ targets Turkey’s Patriarch
Turkey’s national media published a spate of fabricated reports in late August, in backing the 15 July coup attempt against the Turkish government. The strongly pro-government Aksam newspaper first broke the alleged “news” in a front-page article on 30 Aug., headlined “Patriarchate-CIA Gulen Alliance.” The story quoted an article posted […]
Turkey: churches targeted during attempted coup
Santa Maria Catholic Church in Trabzon, Turkey, in a 2007 photo.World Watch Monitor Two churches in cities in eastern Turkey infamous as the sites of historic killings of Christians were vandalised during the attempted coup on 15 July, reports Middle East Concern. One of the attacks took place in […]
Unprecedented Muslim prayer call at Haghia Sophia
In what called an “international incident,” a Turkish muezzin has for the first time in 85 years sounded the morning Muslim call to prayer from inside Istanbul’s historic Haghia Sophia. It was the first official Islamic use of the former cathedral and mosque since the ancient building was designated a […]