{"id":84042,"date":"2026-02-05T18:59:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T17:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/?p=84042"},"modified":"2026-02-24T11:28:44","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T10:28:44","slug":"top-european-court-takes-up-cases-of-christians-banned-from-turkey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/top-european-court-takes-up-cases-of-christians-banned-from-turkey","title":{"rendered":"Top European Court Takes Up Cases of Christians Banned from T\u00fcrkiye"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"84042\" class=\"elementor elementor-84042\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-69b24716 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"69b24716\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6038c4a9\" data-id=\"6038c4a9\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-79cc4048 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"79cc4048\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li>European Court of Human Rights formally communicates 20 cases of Christians banned from T\u00fcrkiye solely for living out their faith<\/li><li>ADF International supports 17 cases, highlighting serious, systemic human rights concerns<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5d617674 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"5d617674\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/map_turkey.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-84048\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/map_turkey.webp 800w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/map_turkey-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/map_turkey-768x513.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-57bff308 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"57bff308\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Strasbourg (5 February 2026)<\/strong> \u2014 The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has formally taken up and \u201ccommunicated\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/hudoc.echr.coe.int\/#{%22tabview%22:[%22document%22],%22itemid%22:[%22001-248520%22]}\">20 cases<\/a> brought by Christians whom T\u00fcrkiye effectively banned from re-entry solely for living out their faith.<\/p><p>These cases \u2014 almost all supported by ADF International \u2014 stem from the Turkish government\u2019s use of internal security codes such as \u201cN-82\u201d to label peaceful foreign Christian residents as threats to national security, blocking them from entering or remaining in the country despite long-standing lawful residence.<\/p><p>Since 2019, Turkish authorities have issued internal security codes like \u201cN-82\u201d and \u201cG-87\u201d to hundreds of foreign Christians, preventing them from re-entering T\u00fcrkiye after trips abroad or denying them residence permits. These measures have affected at least 160 foreign workers and their families \u2014 estimated to be hundreds of individuals \u2014 many of whom lived and served in T\u00fcrkiye for decades.<\/p><p>The ECtHR has jointly communicated these cases to the Turkish Government, indicating that the Court considers the applications sufficiently related to be examined together and has proceeded to posing questions to the parties.<\/p><p><em>\u201cPeaceful worship and participation in church life are not threats to national security. Yet foreign Christians in T\u00fcrkiye \u2014 pastors, teachers, ministry workers, and missionaries \u2014 have been labelled security risks and expelled based on undisclosed files,\u201d <\/em>said <strong>Dr.<\/strong> <strong>Lidia Rider<\/strong>, Legal Officer for ADF International. <em>\u201c<\/em><em>Deprived of access to the allegations, they had no meaningful opportunity to defend themselves in courts<\/em><em>. The Court\u2019s communication of these cases is a crucial step toward accountability and redress<\/em><em>.\u201d<\/em><\/p><p><strong>Discrimination Behind the Numbers<\/strong><\/p><p>The government\u2019s use of these codes effectively labels individuals as a \u201cthreat to public order and security,\u201d a classification normally reserved for terrorism suspects. In practice, however, those targeted have no criminal records and no evidence of unlawful conduct \u2014 the only thing that they have in common is openly practicing and sharing their Christian faith.<\/p><p>The 2024 <a href=\"https:\/\/21wilberforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2024-Turkey-Human-Rights-Violation-Report.pdf\">Human Rights Violation Report<\/a> presented by the Protestant Church Association records 132 people who have been arbitrarily branded with an entry ban code, preventing them from entering T\u00fcrkiye solely on the basis of their Christian faith. The total number of those affected is 303, according to the report.<\/p><p>Reports of similar measures affecting many foreign Protestant Christians show that these cases are not isolated, but point to a wider pattern of systemic discrimination. The cases raise serious questions about fundamental rights protected under the European Convention on Human Rights \u2014 including freedom of religion, family life, and protection from discrimination \u00a0\u2014 and highlight the need for clear, evidence-based decisions when governments invoke public order or national security, especially given the severe disruption these sudden and unexplained bans have caused to long-term residents and their families.<\/p><p><strong>Real People, Real Consequences<\/strong><\/p><p>Among those affected are long-term residents such as Pam and Dave Wilson, who served in T\u00fcrkiye for almost 40 years before being barred from returning; Rachel and Mario Zalma (pseudonyms to preserve anonymity), whose ministry work led to an N-82 designation after attending a church conference; and David Byle, a Christian minister forced into exile after 19 years of service.<\/p><p>These bans have not only separated families from the communities they helped build but also left local churches without stable leadership, weakening the already-small Christian presence in a country where Christians make up a tiny fraction of the population.<\/p><p><strong>A Longstanding Effort to Expose Systemic Abuse<\/strong><\/p><p>Over several years, ADFI has raised awareness of these human rights violations through, among other activities, workshops with local lawyers, academic publications and expert submissions highlighting systemic violations of freedom of religion or belief and related rights.<\/p><p>ADF International has supported a number of applicants and counsel in these cases over several years. ADF International directly represents four individuals before the Court, two of whom are lead applicants, and has supported nearly all the other cases.<\/p><p><em>\u201cWe welcome the Court\u2019s decision to jointly communicate these cases. These are not isolated mistakes or one-off decisions,\u201d<\/em> said <strong>Kelsey Zorzi<\/strong>, Director of Global Religious Freedom for ADF International. <em>\u201cBy examining these cases together, the Court is acknowledging that they may reveal a pattern of discrimination against Christians in T\u00fcrkiye. We look to the Court to uphold the fundamental principle that governments cannot strip people of their rights simply for living out their faith.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6115c1ac elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"6115c1ac\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-477fb1ef elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"477fb1ef\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Images for free use in print or online in relation to this story only<\/p><p><em>Pictured: Dave and Pam Wilson; David Byle; Lidia Rieder; Kelsey Zorzi<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-603753ee elementor-widget elementor-widget-gallery\" data-id=\"603753ee\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" 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highlighting serious, systemic human rights concerns Strasbourg (5 February 2026) \u2014 The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has formally taken up and \u201ccommunicated\u201d 20 cases brought by Christians whom [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":163,"featured_media":84048,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[92,383,27,33],"class_list":["post-84042","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-echr","tag-european-court-of-human-rights","tag-religious-freedom","tag-turkey"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Top European Court Takes Up Cases of Christians Banned from T\u00fcrkiye - ADF International<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has formally taken up and \u201ccommunicated\u201d 20 cases brought by Christians whom T\u00fcrkiye effectively banned from re-entry solely for living out their faith.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/top-european-court-takes-up-cases-of-christians-banned-from-turkey\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Top European Court Takes Up Cases of Christians Banned from T\u00fcrkiye\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has formally taken up and \u201ccommunicated\u201d 20 cases brought by Christians whom T\u00fcrkiye effectively banned from re-entry solely for 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