{"id":85851,"date":"2026-02-27T15:16:50","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T14:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/?p=85851"},"modified":"2026-02-27T15:19:50","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T14:19:50","slug":"u-s-commission-on-international-religious-freedom-condemns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/u-s-commission-on-international-religious-freedom-condemns","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom condemns targeted expulsions of Christians in T\u00fcrkiye"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"85851\" class=\"elementor elementor-85851\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-68a1c6e2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"68a1c6e2\" 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-24f61bc8\" data-id=\"24f61bc8\" 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-26a9ba21 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"26a9ba21\" 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><strong>USCIRF releases statement urging US government action following T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s targeted deportations of Christian missionaries; recommends country be added to Special Watchlist for severe religious freedom violations.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>ADF International applauds push to protect religious freedom and is legally supporting the cases of Christians who have been banned from T\u00fcrkiye.<\/strong><\/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-75a16e8a elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"75a16e8a\" 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=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/bigstock-Turkey-Flag-With-Gavel-For-Jud-453991001-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-51938\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/bigstock-Turkey-Flag-With-Gavel-For-Jud-453991001-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/bigstock-Turkey-Flag-With-Gavel-For-Jud-453991001-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/bigstock-Turkey-Flag-With-Gavel-For-Jud-453991001-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/bigstock-Turkey-Flag-With-Gavel-For-Jud-453991001-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/bigstock-Turkey-Flag-With-Gavel-For-Jud-453991001-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\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-52dbb735 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"52dbb735\" 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>WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 27) \u2013<\/strong> Yesterday, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCRIF) released a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscirf.gov\/news-room\/releases-statements\/state-department-should-place-turkey-special-watch-list\">statement<\/a> condemning the targeted expulsion of Christians in T\u00fcrkiye. Recently, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) <a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/top-european-court-takes-up-cases-of-christians-banned-from-turkey\">took up twenty cases<\/a> of Christians who have been designated as national security threats and expelled from the country by the Turkish government. The USCIRF statement recommends that the U.S. Department of State place T\u00fcrkiye on its Special Watch List for severe violations of religious freedom.<\/p><p>These cases, almost all supported by ADF International, stem from the Turkish government\u2019s use of internal security codes to label foreign Christian missionaries as threats to national security, blocking them from entering or remaining in the country despite long-standing lawful residence.<\/p><p>\u201c<em>T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s arbitrary labeling of foreign-born Protestant Christians as national security threats is meant to intimidate the Christian community and prevent them from gathering for worship. Everyone, regardless of residency status, has the right to freedom of religion or belief under international law,<\/em>\u201d\u202fsaid USCIRF Chair\u202fVicky Hartzler.\u202f\u201c<em>The U.S. administration should maintain the momentum President Trump made in his September meeting with President Erdo\u011fan and push for tangible improvements to T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s religious freedom record, including an end to its repressive tactics against Christians.\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-b708b51 elementor-blockquote--skin-border elementor-widget elementor-widget-blockquote\" data-id=\"b708b51\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"blockquote.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote class=\"elementor-blockquote\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-blockquote__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span style=\"color: #AF272F\">\u201cWe hope that the U.S. government and the international community will continue to stand up for this fundamental right and call on T\u00fcrkiye to put an end to the targeted expulsions of Christian missionaries. <\/span>Peacefully practicing the Christian faith is no reason to be labelled as a security threat and expelled from the country these individuals lawfully built their lives in.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-q-footer\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\"elementor-blockquote__author\">- Kelsey Zorzi, Director of Advocacy for Global Religious Freedom at ADF International<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\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-f2df1f6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f2df1f6\" 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>The statement echoes a recent resolution from the European Parliament condemning the targeted expulsions from the country \u201ccarried out under unsubstantiated national-security pretexts and without due process\u201d for foreign Christians, in addition to journalists.\u202fThe Turkish government<a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/turkish-government-denies-targeted-deportation-of-christian-missionaries-accuses-european-parliament-of-interference\"> swiftly dismissed<\/a> the\u202fresolution as\u202fcontaining\u202f\u201cunfounded\u202fallegations\u201d and characterized it as interference in the country\u2019s internal affairs.\u202f<\/p><p>\u201c<em>We applaud USCIRF\u2019s decision to speak out on the egregious violations of religious freedom we are seeing in T\u00fcrkiye,\u201d<\/em> said Kelsey Zorzi, Director of Advocacy at ADF International. \u201c<em>We hope that the U.S. government and the international community will continue to stand up for this fundamental right and call on T\u00fcrkiye to put an end to the targeted expulsions of Christian missionaries. Peacefully practicing the Christian faith is no reason to be labelled as a security threat and expelled from the country these individuals lawfully built their lives in.\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-1b6266f1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1b6266f1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Background<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2a67617b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2a67617b\" 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>Since 2019, Turkish authorities have issued internal security codes like \u201cN-82\u201d and \u201cG-87\u201d to target 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, many of whom lived and served in T\u00fcrkiye for decades.<\/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. However, those targeted have no criminal records or evidence of unlawful conduct. The only thing that they have in common is openly practicing and sharing their Christian faith.<\/p><p>The 2024\u202fHuman Rights Violation Report\u202fpresented 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.<\/p><p>Among those affected are long-term residents such as Pam and Dave Wilson, who served in T\u00fcrkiye for almost forty 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 small fraction of the population.<\/p><p>ADF International has supported a number of these cases over several years, and directly represents four individuals before the ECtHR, two of whom are lead applicants, and has supported the majority of the other cases.<\/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-7ec4c75 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"7ec4c75\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;youtube_url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/watch?v=Vg66By7kH60&quot;,&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;youtube&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-video\"> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-container brlbs-cmpnt-content-blocker brlbs-cmpnt-with-individual-styles\" data-borlabs-cookie-content-blocker-id=\"youtube-content-blocker\" data-borlabs-cookie-content=\"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\"><div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-preset-c brlbs-cmpnt-cb-youtube\"> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-thumbnail\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/borlabs-cookie\/1\/yt_Vg66By7kH60_hqdefault.jpg')\"><\/div> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-main\"> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-play-button\"><\/div> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-content\"> <p class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-description\">You are currently viewing a placeholder content from <strong>YouTube<\/strong>. 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ADF International applauds push to protect religious freedom and is legally supporting the cases of Christians who have been banned from T\u00fcrkiye. WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 27) \u2013 Yesterday, the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2073,"featured_media":51938,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[29,27,33],"class_list":["post-85851","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-christian-persecution","tag-religious-freedom","tag-turkey"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom condemns targeted expulsions of Christians in T\u00fcrkiye - ADF International<\/title>\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\/u-s-commission-on-international-religious-freedom-condemns\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom condemns targeted expulsions of Christians in T\u00fcrkiye\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"USCIRF releases statement urging US government action following T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s targeted deportations of Christian missionaries; recommends country be added to Special Watchlist for severe religious freedom violations. ADF International applauds push to protect religious freedom and is legally supporting the cases of Christians who have been banned from T\u00fcrkiye. WASHINGTON, D.C. 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