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

B100129/2026

European Parliament resolution on targeted expulsions of foreign journalists and Christians in Türkiye under national security pretexts

(2026/2613(RSP))

The European Parliament,

having regard to its previous resolutions on Türkiye,

having regard to Rule 136(2) 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 the report also affirms that "Türkiye provides generally adequate legal guarantees for freedom of religion or belief” and that “freedom of worship is generally respected, but the situation of freedom of thought, conscience and religion needs to be improved”;

B. Whereas in 2025 numerous journalists were detained while covering the crackdown following the protests triggered by the unlawful arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, including foreign journalists Mark Lowen, correspondent for the BBC, and Joakim Medin, reporter for the Swedish newspaper Dagens ETC;

C. Whereas the Iranian Kaveh Taheri, an independent freelance journalist recognized as a refugee by the UNHCR, was detained on 26 January 2026 in Sakarya;

D. Whereas the French freelance journalist Raphaël Boukandoura was arrested on 19 January 2026 while covering a rally organized by the DEM Party and then released on 21 January;

E. Whereas, in recent years, cases have been reported of Christian missionaries being banned through the application of the “N-82” and “G-87” codes, an administrative measure used to monitor the presence of foreigners considered to pose a threat to national security;

F. whereas a case is currently pending before the European Court of Human Rights (Wiest v. Türkiye) concerning religious freedom and discriminatory state practices in Türkiye;

1. Calls on the Turkish authorities 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;

2. Deplores that such restrictions on the freedom of foreign reporters are part of an increasing trend of deterioration in the independence of the press, as repeatedly highlighted by the Parliament;

3. Shares the assessment of the Commission’s “Türkiye 2025 Report” regarding the restrictive environment for journalists and critical voices; calls on the Commission to raise with greater firmness Türkiye’s ongoing violations of press freedom, which constitute one of the most serious concerns on the state of fundamental rights;

4. 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;

5. Invites the Commission to examine with particular attention the barriers faced by Christians in the country regarding freedom of worship, access to education, and cases of ongoing state surveillance;

6. Calls on Türkiye to ensure full implementation of OSCE and international obligations on religious tolerance and preventing the misuse of administrative and security systems towards religious minorities,

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HRVP and the Government and Parliament of Türkiye.