Human rights activists: Turkish authorities systematically persecute Christians, considering them a "threat to national security"

The international human rights organization ADF International has accused the Turkish authorities of systematic persecution of Christians and their mass deportation under the pretext of threatening national security. This was stated by the organization’s lawyer Lydia Reeder at the OSCE Warsaw Conference, calling on the international community to respond to the gross violations of religious freedom in the country.

Speaking at the October 13, 2025 conference, the ADF International lawyer stressed: “By labeling peaceful Christians as a security threat, Turkey is abusing the law and violating freedom of religion and belief.” She noted that the landmark case of Wist v. Turkey, currently pending before the European Court of Human Rights, will be a key indicator of the state of religious freedom in the country.

More than 200 foreign Christian workers and their families have been expelled from Turkey since 2020, totaling about 350 people, according to human rights activists. These people are assigned internal “security codes” (N-82 and G-87) that effectively ban them from re-entering the country without formal charges or court decisions. It is noted that at least 35 such codes were introduced between December 2024 and January 2025 alone.

These actions have left many Protestant communities without pastoral leadership, severely disrupting their religious life. Human rights activists also point to other restrictions that contradict the freedom of religion guaranteed by the Turkish Constitution. In particular, the historic Orthodox seminary on Halki Island remains closed, Protestant educational institutions are systematically denied registration, and Bible study is banned, while Islamic education receives full state support.

“Religious freedom is impossible if believers live under the threat of exile for their faith,” Lydia Reeder concluded, calling on OSCE participating States to take concrete steps to abolish discriminatory “security codes.” ADF International is confident that the upcoming ECHR decision will set an important precedent for the whole of Europe and show the real readiness of the international community to protect the human right to freedom of conscience.

Recall, earlier we reported that the Communist Party of China considers the right to freedom of religion as a threat to its political regime. In this regard, China’s Ministry of Public Security announced an increase in spending on technology and manpower to combat independent religious organizations as part of a repressive campaign that includes the suppression of the independent Christian house church movement.