The European Court of Human Rights has taken up twenty cases of Christians banned from re-entry into Türkiye. The Court has jointly communicated these cases to the Turkish Government and has invited Türkiye to submit its observations as proceedings move forward. ADF International is supporting 17 of these cases and is directly representing four individuals before the Court, two of whom are lead applicants.
In a press release published on 5 February, Dr Lidia Rider, Legal Officer for ADF International, stated: “Peaceful worship and participation in church life are not threats to national security. Yet foreign Christians in Türkiye – pastors, teachers, ministry workers, and missionaries – have been labelled security risks and expelled based on undisclosed files. Deprived of access to the allegations, they had no meaningful opportunity to defend themselves in courts. The Court’s communication of these cases is a crucial step toward accountability and redress.”
The cases stem from the Turkish government’s use of internal security codes to label foreign Christian residents as threats to national security, blocking them from entering or remaining in the country despite long-standing peaceful, lawful residence.
ADF’s press release states, “Since 2019, Turkish authorities have issued internal security codes like ‘N-82’ and ‘G-87’ to hundreds of foreign Christians, preventing them from re-entering Türkiye after trips abroad or denying them residence permits. These measures have affected at least 160 foreign workers and their families – estimated to be hundreds of individuals – many of whom lived and served in Türkiye for decades.”
The 2024 Human Rights Violation Report of the Association of Protestant Churches in Türkiye, published on 14 June 2025, records 132 individuals issued with entry ban codes since 2019, with spouses and children bringing the number affected up to 303.
ADF’s press release continues, “The cases raise serious questions about fundamental rights protected under the European Convention on Human Rights – including freedom of religion, family life, and protection from discrimination – 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.”
Kelsey Zorzi, Director of Global Religious Freedom for ADF International, states: “We welcome the Court’s decision to jointly communicate these cases. These are not isolated mistakes or one-off decisions. By examining these cases together, the Court is acknowledging that they may reveal a pattern of discrimination against Christians in Türkiye. We look to the Court to uphold the fundamental principle that governments cannot strip people of their rights simply for living out their faith.”
The effect is to separate families from their Turkish communities and leave local churches without stable leadership, weakening the Christian community that makes up a tiny fraction of the population. In one case, long-term residents Pam and Dave Wilson (pictured) served in Türkiye for almost forty years before being barred from re-entry, while in another case minister David Byle was forced into exile after 19 years of service.
Background
The Association of Protestant Churches’ 2024 report states that there are approximately 214 Protestant churches or fellowships in Türkiye, the majority located in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. Of these, 152 have obtained legal entity status through the establishment of 21 religious foundations, 27 representative branches of religious foundations, 36 church associations and 68 representative branches linked to those associations, but the remaining churches do not possess legal entity status.
Twelve Protestant churches and fellowships worship in historical church buildings, 123 rent facilities, 57 meet in premises they own and 22 meet in homes. Most leaders are trained through internal apprenticeships, a small percentage study at theological schools overseas and some receive training through seminars organised in Türkiye.
In addition to the 214 listed churches that worship in Turkish, there are estimated to be around one hundred Protestant fellowships in Türkiye that worship in other languages, the majority comprised of refugees from Iran.
The Association of Protestant Churches explains in its report, “In recent years the number of national Protestant religious workers has increased. But as there have not been enough national leaders to meet the need, some churches continue to meet their need for spiritual guidance through foreign pastors… However, since 2019 the severe restrictions on foreign religious workers by requiring them to leave the country either due to the issuance of N-82 or G-87 codes banning entry into Turkey or the denial of residence visas, has caused and continues to cause severe difficulties for Protestant fellowships that relied on a foreign pastor for spiritual guidance.”
In the late 1980s church pastors began meeting together in solidarity and partnership and in the mid 1990’s they formed the Alliance of Protestant Churches, which became the Association of Protestant Churches on 23 January 2009.
Read Church in Chains’ Türkiye Country Profile.
(Alliance Defending Freedom International, Association of Protestant Churches in Türkiye 2024 Human Rights Violation Report)
Map: Church in Chains Global Guide
Photo: ADF International