Faith
Turkish Ban on U.S. Christian Sparks Legal Fight
Faith Facts
- Kenneth Arthur Wiest, a Christian serving in Türkiye for over 30 years, was banned from the country in 2019.
- Legal group Alliance Defending Freedom International is challenging the ban in the European Court of Human Rights.
- Over 200 foreign Christian workers have been expelled from Türkiye since 2020, impacting church communities and religious freedom.
The Turkish government is under scrutiny for removing a faithful Christian who served local churches for decades.
Alliance Defending Freedom International highlights that authorities are using national security claims to remove foreign believers and disrupt Christian ministry.
“Türkiye’s labeling of peaceful Christian residents as ‘security threats’ is a clear misuse of law and an attack on freedom of religion or belief,” said Elizabeth Rieder at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Expulsion and entry bans have been used to silence Christian workers, leaving churches without spiritual leaders and splitting families.
The Turkish constitution guarantees religious liberty, yet Christians find themselves targeted and denied rights promised by law.
Protestant churches suffer restrictions and the closure of long-standing places of worship, eroding their freedom to gather and grow in faith.
The Wiest v. Türkiye case could establish a vital precedent for protecting religious freedom throughout Europe.
“Authorities banned Mr. Wiest, a U.S. citizen who had resided legally in Türkiye for over 30 years, from returning without evidence of wrongdoing,” stated the ADFI.
Elizabeth Rieder warned that believers cannot live out their faith freely if they face expulsion for their convictions.
“The OSCE and its participating states have pledged to promote tolerance and non-discrimination. We must uphold these commitments not only in word, but in action.”
Christians are called to pray for their brothers and sisters in Türkiye and stand firmly for religious liberty worldwide.