Anti-Christian Hate Crimes Double During 2-Year Period in Turkey
Turkey (International Christian Concern) — The number of anti-Christian hate crimes in Turkey more than doubled from 2021 to 2023, according to an International Christian Concern (ICC) analysis.
According to data from the Freedom of Belief Initiative (FOBI), a religious freedom watchdog group, hate crimes against Christ followers in Turkey jumped from 10 in 2021 to 22 in 2023.
Since 2020, Christians have experienced most of the religious hate crimes committed in Turkey, with 52 occurrences reported. The crimes include property damage, harassment, and violence. Additionally, the FOBI stated that the true number of hate crimes is likely higher than what has been reported due to victims’ fear of ostracization.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) reported several incidents of hate crimes against Christians. In October 2023, a man entered a church, recited an Islamic prayer, and slapped the pastor during a service. In May 2023, two elderly men were hospitalized after being “physically assaulted with sticks and stones” for their faith. OSCE also reported other incidents of violence and intimidation against Christians.
Foreign missionaries have also been the target of harassment in Turkey. The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) reported in 2023 that “Turkish authorities increasingly target Christian pastors, missionaries, and their relatives for deportation and permanent re-entry bans.”
Turkey lands at number 50 on Open Doors’ World Watch List for the nation’s increasing persecution of Christians due to several factors, including Islamic oppression and dictatorial paranoia.
Christians in Turkey have long endured persecution, but increasingly so in modern times. Between 1915 and 1916, a genocide of Armenian Christians occurred when an estimated 1 million Christ followers died. Mass killings, starvation, and individual murders led to their deaths at the behest of Ottoman authorities. According to World Without Genocide, the “perpetrators sought to purge the Ottoman Empire of all Christian minorities.”
Before 1914, Christians accounted for 25% of the region’s population. Today, they make up less than .5%.
