On February 12, the EU legislative body adopted the text by 502 votes in favor, two against, and 59 abstentions, demonstrating broad cross-party consensus on the issue.
The resolution said Turkey is expelling Christians missionaries under an opaque “national security” pretext. It urged the government to uphold freedom of religion and allow the expelled Christians to return to the country.
Dutch Member of the European Parliament Bert-Jan Ruissen said during the debate, “You bring the good news of the Gospel, the message of peace and reconciliation through Jesus Christ. Then you are considered a threat to national security and are no longer allowed to enter the country. That is the harsh reality of missionaries working in Turkey.”
He called on Turkish authorities to “take freedom of religion seriously.”
“Turkey must stop targeting churches, guarantee freedom of religion or belief, and allow Christians to share their faith freely,” he stated.
According to Christian legal advocacy group ADF International, a minimum of 160 foreign Christian workers and their families have been expelled from Turkey or denied entry in the recent past. These families often lived in the country for decades.
These bans are issued under national security classifications and often without explanation or a legal remedy, making it impossible for missionaries to challenge their expulsion.
According to ADF International, about 20 such cases are currently before the European Court of Human Rights.
The resolution adopted by the European Parliament urged Ankara to ensure the fair and equal application of national security measures and called on the country to uphold its international human rights obligations, including freedom of belief or religion.Turkey has repeatedly denied the accusations, claiming that they are “baseless” and “contradict the facts,” adding that “no foreign institution, including the European Parliament, can interfere in judicial proceedings conducted in our country.”
The resolution passed by the EU legislative body is not legally binding, but it applies diplomatic pressure and can prompt the European Commission and the EU’s diplomatic service, the European External Action Service, to discuss the issue with Turkish government authorities.