Top court to hear cases against Turkey labeling Christians ‘security threat’
The European Court of Human Rights has opened proceedings in 20 cases involving Christians barred from re-entering Turkey after being designated as national security threats. The individuals, mostly foreign residents, say they were denied entry or residence solely for peacefully practicing their faith.
The Turkish government has used internal codes like “N-82” and “G-87” to issue entry bans or deny permit renewals to at least 160 foreign Christians since 2019, according to the legal advocacy group ADF International.
Most affected individuals had no criminal record or history of unlawful activity. In multiple instances, the only common link was public involvement in Christian worship or ministry, including pastors, teachers and missionaries.
The European court formally “communicated” the cases in a joint action, signaling that the cases are sufficiently similar to be examined together. Turkey has been asked to submit its observations in response.
“Peaceful worship and participation in church life are not threats to national security,” said Lidia Rider, legal officer for ADF International.
David Byle, a Christian minister who lived in Turkey for 19 years, was among those forced to leave after being marked with a code. Others include Pam and Dave Wilson, who served in the country for nearly four decades, and a couple identified as Rachel and Mario Zalma, who received an N-82 designation after attending a church conference.
ADF International said it represents four applicants directly in the proceedings and supports nearly all the rest. The group has also held workshops with Turkish lawyers and submitted academic papers alleging systemic violations of religious rights.
“These are not isolated mistakes or one-off decisions,” said Kelsey Zorzi, director of Global Religious Freedom at ADF International.
Foreign Christians from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, Latin America and other parts of Europe have been denied visas or deported in recent years. Many had lived in Turkey with their families for extended periods and had no criminal record or pending legal cases.
The 2024 Human Rights Violation Report by the Association of Protestant Churches documented 132 people arbitrarily branded with entry ban codes, solely because of their Christian faith. The report put the total number affected at 303.
The report also documented multiple incidents of violence, intimidation and discrimination against Christians across Turkey.
In December, an individual fired gunshots from a moving car at the Salvation Church association building in Çekmeköy and tried to remove the church’s signage.
Also in December, a Christian English teacher in Malatya was dismissed from her job without explanation after a school official warned her about her church activity and foreign friends. Her complaint to local authorities was rejected.
Churches in Kayseri, Bahçelievler and İzmir experienced incidents of vandalism, threats, or physical damage in 2024. Other cases involved denied permits for distributing brochures and the cancellation of Easter and Christmas event invitations.
Social media abuse against church leaders and congregants also increased throughout the year, the Protestant association’s report added.
