Release International

Christians in Turkey still face discrimination and harassment – even four years after the Malatya Christian murders sent shock waves through the nation.

The Christian minority in Turkey still suffer attacks on their churches and members, slander or discrimination on 'a daily basis' – according to a new report from the Turkish Association of Protestant Churches (TEK).

Turkish laws and the 'negative attitudes of civil servants' pose substantial barriers to Christians wanting to establish places of worship, especially Protestants, says TEK.

Forum 18 news agency reports that Turkey's bid to become a full member of the European Union brought legal changes which made it possible in theory for non-Muslims to establish places of worship. However, in practice, local officials have 'wide discretion' in granting licences – and often refuse.

Furthermore, missionary activities are widely seen as a threat to national security, according to the TEK report. And Christian parents have reported not being allowed to withdraw their children from Islamic teaching at school, despite the fact that the authorities permit them to do so in principle.

Only last week, Turkish media reported that police detained two teenagers on suspicion of plotting to murder a church leader in Istanbul, according to Compass Direct news agency.

Christians had hoped that the national outrage at the murder of three Christians at a publishing house in Malatya would prompt officials to crack down on religious intolerance. Necati Aydin, Ugur Yuksel and Tilmann Geske were brutally tortured and murdered in April 2007.
 
The trial of five suspects in the case continues. Prosecution lawyers have expressed concern that one of the three judges presiding over the case was recently given a new post in Ankara and had to be replaced. The complexities of the case – which prosecution lawyers are trying to link with a wider conspiracy to destabilise the government – mean that it will inevitably take time for a new judge to get up to speed.

(Sources: Compass Direct, Forum 18)

• Ask God to protect and build the faith of His church in Turkey.
• Pray that Turkish officials will heed the TEK report, take a tougher stand against intolerance and commit to upholding religious freedom for all.

Back to top