Turkey deports peaceful Christians under guise of 'national security' claims watchdog

Turkey has been accused of deporting hundreds of peaceful Christians under the guise of "national security," including dozens last year, in a move legal advocates warn is an "attack" on the freedom of religion.

In a Monday address to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), legal expert for the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International, Lidia Rieder, warned that Turkey is systematically targeting Christians purely "for practicing their faith."

"Turkey's labeling of peaceful Christian residents as 'security threats' is a clear misuse of law and an attack on freedom of religion or belief," Rieder said during the OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. "When governments manipulate administrative or immigration systems to exclude people based solely on their faith, it undermines both the rule of law and the very principles of tolerance and peaceful coexistence that the OSCE was founded to protect." 

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Since 2020, more than 350 foreign Christian workers and their family members have been expelled from Turkey, including at least 35 cases between December 2024 and January 2025, reported the ADF. 

According to the international watchdog, Turkey's Ministry of Interior has assigned the individuals targeted by Ankara "security codes," like as N-82 and G-87, which effectively bars them from ever re-entering the country as it classifies them as a national security threat.  

Rieder also reminded the OSCE conference of the "landmark case" Wiest v. Turkey, which is currently before the European Court of Human Rights, and is "expected to set a crucial precedent for the protection of religious freedom in Europe and beyond."

Kenneth Wiest, a U.S. citizen and a Protestant, was born, raised and then resided legally in Turkey with his wife and three children for over 30 years before he was banned from the country in 2019 upon returning from a trip "without evidence of wrongdoing."

His case is just the latest in what is increasingly viewed as discriminatory policies that persecute religious minorities since President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan took office more than a decade ago. 

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In a statement to Fox News Digital, Rieder said that the Turkish delegation present at the OSCE conference "itself acknowledged that discrimination against Christians is on the rise across the OSCE region and beyond," which she said was "notable."

"While Turkey emphasized its commitment to promoting tolerance through international cooperation, the same principles must be upheld within its own borders," she said. "The reality on the ground remains deeply concerning for many individuals, families, and communities who continue to face restrictions on worship, deportations, and barriers to religious education. 

"Turkey's call to hear the voices of victims and to respect fundamental freedoms for all must now be translated into concrete action," Rieder added.

The Turkish embassy in D.C. did not directly respond to Fox News Digital's questions but pointed to a statement released on Wednesday by Ankara's office of Communications Center for Countering Disinformation, which denied the claims levied by ADF International and called them "completely unfounded and part of a deliberate disinformation campaign."

The office pointed to the history of Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities that have co-existed together and said Turkey is working to "protect" and "restore" places of worship.

"Respect for faiths and pluralism are indispensable elements of our country's democratic order," the statement read. "Turkey, like any other sovereign state, may make administrative decisions on foreign nationals for a variety of reasons, including visa violations, disturbance of public order, or a lack of legal permits."

The communications department said no visa-based decisions have been made based on "identity or affiliation."

The statement did not directly address the case involving Wiest.

"Freedom of religion cannot exist if believers live under threat of expulsion for practicing their faith," Rieder said. "The OSCE and its participating States have pledged to promote tolerance and non-discrimination. These commitments must be upheld not only in word, but in action." 

OSCE did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's questions about what steps it will take to address the growing concerns of religious persecution in Turkey.