Turkey: Religious Freedom

(asked on 13th January 2021) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which Jewish and Christian UK citizens resident in Turkey are free to practise their religion.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 27th January 2021

Under the Turkish Constitution freedom of religion or belief is protected by law, regardless of the nationality of the individual. We expect Turkey to safeguard the human rights, including that of freedom of religion, of all inhabitants of Turkey, be they Turkish citizens or citizens of other nationalities. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas, Wendy Morton MP, raised human rights with her Turkish counterpart on 16 December 2020. FCDO officials in Turkey will continue to engage fully with the Christian and Jewish communities, as well as with all other minorities within Turkey. The British Embassy liaises closely with likeminded foreign missions on human rights issues, including freedom of religion and belief and we regularly raise these issues with the Turkish authorities, both bilaterally and alongside other diplomatic partners.

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