ECtHR takes up Turkey’s bans on Christians based on religion
The European Court of Human Rights has formally taken up 20 cases of Christians banned from Türkiye solely for practicing their faith. Turkish authorities applied internal security codes to classify long-term, peaceful Christian residents as “threats to national security”, despite no criminal conduct. These measures constitute targeted religious discrimination and violate key protections under the European Convention, including freedom of religion and prohibition of discrimination.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has formally taken up 20 cases involving Christians who have been banned from Türkiye solely for practicing their faith. Turkish authorities applied internal security codes, such as N-82 and G-87, to classify long-term, peaceful Christian residents—including pastors, missionaries, and ministry workers—as “threats to national security,” despite the absence of any criminal conduct or evidence of wrongdoing. These measures target individuals precisely because they openly practice Christianity, making their faith itself the determining factor in the discrimination and exclusion.
These measures have affected at least 160 foreign workers and their families who have lived and served in Türkiye for decades, preventing re-entry, revoking residence permits, and disrupting communities. The authorities applied internal codes as a formal legal mechanism to determine who would be barred, even though the only “risk” identified was the practice of their faith.
The cases illustrate a pattern of systemic discrimination against Christians and raise serious concerns about violations of fundamental rights, including freedom of religion, protection from arbitrary state action, and non-discrimination.
The ECtHR’s decision to jointly communicate these cases to the Turkish government underscores the systematic and coordinated implementation of the entry bans. By consolidating the applications, the Court is positioned to assess whether Türkiye’s measures constitute a breach of Article 9 (freedom of religion) and Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) of the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as violations of procedural safeguards concerning residence and re-entry under Article 1 of Protocol No. 7. This approach allows the Court to evaluate the legal and evidentiary basis of the restrictions and their impact on the fundamental rights of the affected Christian residents.
“Peaceful worship and participation in church life are not threats to national security. Yet foreign Christians in Türkiye — pastors, teachers, ministry workers, and missionaries — have been labelled security risks and expelled based on undisclosed files,” said Dr. Lidia Rider, Legal Officer for ADF International, who supported most of the cases, which are now examined by the ECtHR.
Souce: ADF International, HUDOC.ECHR, GreekcityTimes
Photo: ADF International