TURKEY: EU Parliament resolution on expulsion of journalists and foreign Christians
European Parliament resolution on the targeted expulsions of foreign journalists and foreign Christians in Türkiye under national security pretexts (2026/2613(RSP))
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,
- whereas the Commission’s Türkiye 2025 Report states that ‘the environment for media freedom and media pluralism is constrained’; whereas concerns have arisen over foreign journalists being detained and deported;
- whereas, in recent years, at least 300 foreign Christian pastors, missionaries and their family members have been deported from Türkiye and denied re-entry through the application of the ‘N-82’ and ‘G-87’ administrative measures designating them as national security threats without evidence, trial or effective means of appeal;
- whereas Kaveh Taheri, an Iranian independent freelance journalist recognised as a refugee by the UNHCR, was detained on 26 January 2026 and is facing deportation and political persecution in Iran; whereas journalist Nujan Mala Hassan was shot and injured by Turkish border guards on 20 January while reporting on protests; whereas other journalists have already been deported, including BBC correspondent Mark Lowen, and others have been arrested and threatened with deportation, such as French journalist Raphaël Boukandoura;
- whereas Christians are reported to be among the most persecuted religious groups globally; whereas failure to acknowledge and address this reality undermines the credibility of international efforts to protect freedom of religion or belief;
- whereas several related cases are pending before the ECtHR, includingWiest v Türkiye;
- Strongly condemns the targeted expulsions of foreign journalists and foreign Christians carried out under unsubstantiated national-security pretexts and without due process; deplores the lack of access to evidence and meaningful judicial review;
- Manifests its unwavering support for Christians and affirms that freedom of religion or belief, including the right to practice, change or manifest one’s religion individually or in community with others, must be fully protected in accordance with international human rights law and upheld without discrimination or interference by state authorities;
- Calls on Türkiye to immediately cease all forms of judicial and administrative harassment of foreign journalists, often under national security pretexts; expresses its deep indignation at reported cases of arbitrary arrest and detention; calls on Türkiye to immediately halt deportation proceedings against Kaveh Taheri and all other foreign journalists; demands the suspension of all legal proceedings against Swedish journalist Joakim Medin and all journalists convicted for doing their job;
- Shares the assessment of the Türkiye 2025 Report regarding the restrictive environment for journalists and critical voices;
- Expresses its solidarity with Turkish journalists who continue to report independently despite the numerous abuses; calls on the Commission to increase support for independent media;
- Urges Türkiye to immediately cease the use of administrative security codes N-82 and G-87, to provide individual reasoned decisions subject to independent judicial review, and to allow those expelled arbitrarily to return;
- Calls on the VP/HR and the Commission to raise these concerns systematically in political dialogue with Türkiye and to consider targeted measures should these abuses persist;
- Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, the Member States, and the Government and Parliament of Türkiye.
HRWF Footnote: More reading
2025 Country Report of Aid to the Church in Need
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