- Pray that the current Turkish government would stop deporting peaceful foreign Christians as "security threats" against its government immediately.
- Pray that God would continue to lead all those foreign workers who have been deported and those churches who have been affected in His grace and mercy.
- Pray that the Kingdom of God would come upon Turkiye with power to bring forth a powerful breakthrough and revival among its people.
Türkiye, formerly known as Turkey, is facing legal challenges after deporting foreign Christians and labeling them “national security threats.”
Kenneth Wiest, an American Protestant, had lived in Türkiye with his wife and kids since 1985. In June 2019, he was stopped from reentering the country after a trip. Although no evidence suggested that he harbored any hostility toward the country, he was assigned an “N-82” label, which is reserved for individuals deemed to pose a security risk.
In 2024, the European Center for Law and Justice (ECLJ) observed that “the violation of Mr. Wiest’s rights to freedom of religion and to non-discrimination based on his religion are at the heart of this case.”
Since 2020, Türkiye has banned more than 200 foreign Christian workers and their families, several of whom have lived in the country for decades. Alliance Defending Freedom International (ADF International) is representing Wiest and about 30 others before the European Court of Human Rights, arguing that Turkey violated their right to religious freedom, which is protected under Article 24 of the country’s constitution.
On Oct. 13, Lidia Rieder, Legal Officer for ADF International, spoke at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Warsaw Human Dimension Conference.
“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,” she said.
As a response to rising legal and global challenges, Türkiye’s Center for Combating Disinformation took to social media, calling the allegations “completely unfounded and part of a deliberate disinformation campaign targeting Turkey.”
However, ADF International called out Türkiye’s repeated systematic discrimination against Christians.
“While Turkey’s Constitution enshrines freedom of religion and conscience […] entry bans and deportations have increasingly been used as tools to silence foreign Christian workers,” the organization reported.
The bans do not just affect foreign Christians. With a lack of workers, churches are struggling under these pressures, furthering the issue of religious infringement.
Kenneth Arthur Wiest v. Turkey, currently before the European Court of Human Rights, raises critical questions about religious freedom across Europe — whether it will continue to be protected or face increasing restrictions.
Rieder urged participating states at the OSCE to act upon their commitments to religious freedom.
“When governments manipulate administrative or immigration systems to exclude people based solely on their faith,” she said, “it undermines both the rule of law and the very principles of tolerance and peaceful coexistence that the OSCE was founded to protect.”
Story by Bella Agnello
Source: https://persecution.org/2025/10/24/turkiye-faces-legal-challenges-for-deporting-christians/