Russian tourists were detained at Hagia Sophia in Istanbul for reading the Bible

In Istanbul, Turkish law enforcement authorities detained a Russian couple following an incident at the Hagia Sophia. The man and woman were taken to a temporary detention center for foreigners after the tourist began reading the Holy Scriptures aloud inside the church. This was reported by Orthodoxia.info.

The incident occurred on July 14. According to information obtained from the publication “Ostorozhno, Novosti,” which the source cites, security guards at the monument promptly stopped the tourist’s actions, after which the couple was handed over to the police. Initially, the detainees were taken to the Fatih district police station to verify their identities and have their fingerprints taken. Their deportation from Turkey is currently being considered.

The Russian citizens are being investigated under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code, which provides for liability for inciting hatred or hostility, as well as for offending the sensibilities of a segment of the population. The female tourist stated that she was unaware of the ban on such actions and denied any involvement in the reading. It is reported that the couple was separated at the detention center for foreigners in the Arnavutköy district. Russian diplomats have become involved in resolving the situation. The Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Istanbul confirmed that it is handling the case involving its citizens and is in contact with their lawyer.

It should be noted that the status of the site changed in the summer of 2020, when Hagia Sophia was officially reclassified from a museum to an active mosque, although tourists still have access to certain parts of the building.