Update on Christians Accused of ''Insulting Turkishness''

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Hakan Tastan and Turan Topal
Photo from Compass Direct

In October 2006, Hakan Tastan and Turan Topal were charged with "insulting Turkishness," defamation of Islam and secretly compiling data (click here for more details). On March 13, these men attended a hearing during which three gendarme soldiers were summoned to testify before the Silivri Criminal Court in northwestern Turkey as witnesses for the prosecution, according to a March 17 report from Compass Direct. The three soldiers confirmed details of the initial investigation but provided no evidence that justified the charges. Two other scheduled witnesses failed to appear to testify. The judge has scheduled the next hearing for June 24.

For more information on the persecution of Christians in Turkey, go to the Turkey Country Report.

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  • Country Information

    Population
    83,593,483 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Turkish (70-75), Kurdish (19), other minorities (7-12)

    Religion (%)
    Islam (99.8), other (0.2)

    Leader
    President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2014)

    Government type
    Parliamentary republic

    Legal system
    Civil law system derived from various European continental legal systems

    Sources: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for Turkey

    Prayerfully uphold those who have had their churches and places of worship taken over by a government that does not represent their beliefs, values or ordinances. Ask the Lord to oversee the mediation process as church officials and government representatives endeavour to work out a solution that is both honouring to Him and fair to all the members of the various churches. Despite the challenges experienced by the believers of this country, may they have a sense of God's reassuring presence and peace, knowing that one day He will reign supremely and justly over the entire earth.

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Türkiye News

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Turkey: Andrew Brunson's Testimony
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