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Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications’ Center for Combating Disinformation (DMM) denied claims circulating in some international media outlets that the country had deported foreign nationals belonging to Christian communities by labeling them as a “national security threat.”
The DMM stated that the allegations are “completely baseless and part of a deliberate disinformation campaign targeting Türkiye.”
The statement underlined that Türkiye has for centuries been home to people of different faiths, cultures and beliefs living in peace, and that it is the heir to a civilization rooted in “tolerance, mutual respect, and coexistence.”
“The Republic of Türkiye has enshrined freedom of religion and conscience in its Constitution and has never allowed any of its citizens to face discrimination based on faith or form of worship,” the DMM said.
The statement added that respect for faiths and pluralism are indispensable elements of the country’s democratic order. “Throughout history, mosques, churches, and synagogues have coexisted on these lands, with Muslim, Christian, and Jewish citizens sharing a common culture of life,” it said.
Türkiye continues to preserve and sustain this historical heritage, according to the statement. It said that important efforts are being made to protect, restore, and reopen places of worship belonging to different faith communities, including the restoration and reopening of many churches and monasteries affiliated with Christian congregations.
“The property rights of community foundations are protected, and legal processes are conducted transparently,” the DMM added.
The statement stressed that, like every sovereign state, Türkiye may take administrative decisions regarding foreign nationals in cases of visa violations, public order violations, or lack of legal residence permits. However, it said, such actions “are never carried out on the basis of religious identity or affiliation, but solely within the framework of legal regulations.”
The DMM emphasized that no disinformation campaign targeting Türkiye’s tradition of religious freedom, pluralism, and social peace would succeed.
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