Targeted expulsions of foreign journalists and foreign Christians in Türkiye under national security pretexts

European Parliament resolution of 12 February 2026 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,

A.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;

B.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;

C.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 2026 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;

D.whereas Christians are reported to be the most persecuted religious group globally; whereas failure to acknowledge and address this reality undermines the credibility of international efforts to protect freedom of religion or belief;

E.whereas several related cases are pending before the ECtHR, including Wiest v Türkiye;

F.whereas the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque, the destruction of Christian churches, and sustained pressure on Christian communities, illustrate a broader and systematic pattern of restrictions on fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and freedom of religion;

1.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;

2.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;

3.Considers that these targeted expulsions take place in a broader context of democratic backsliding, erosion of judicial independence, criminalisation of dissent and attacks on civil society;