The European Parliament adopted a resolution on February 12 strongly condemning Turkey for expelling Christian missionaries under national security pretexts. The resolution passed with overwhelming support (502 in favor, 2 against) and calls on Ankara to respect religious freedom and permit the expelled workers to return. MEPs expressed broad cross-party concern, with one member describing missionaries sharing the Gospel as being wrongly labeled a threat to national security. Reports indicate that at least 160 foreign Christian workers and their families have been expelled or denied reentry into Turkey in recent years. The Parliament urged Turkish authorities to guarantee freedom of religion or belief and cease targeting churches.
19 days ago
The European Parliament passed a resolution on February 12, 2026, strongly condemning Turkey's expulsion of Christian missionaries under "national security" pretexts.1
It received 502 votes in favor, two against, and 59 abstentions, urging Ankara to respect religious freedom and allow the expelled workers to return.1
At least 160 foreign Christian workers and their families have been expelled or denied reentry to Turkey in recent years.1
Many received "N-82" administrative codes, applied without public explanation or legal remedy, with about 20 cases now before the European Court of Human Rights.1
Dutch MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen described missionaries bringing the Gospel as being labeled national security threats, calling on Turkey to take religious freedom seriously.1
Croatian MEP Tomislav Sokol linked the expulsions to global religious persecution, including church closures and lack of legal protection, emphasizing the need for consistent defense without double standards.1
Turkey's foreign ministry rejected the resolution on February 13, stating that claims on freedom of expression and religion "contradict the facts" and rejecting interference in judicial proceedings.1
The resolution highlights ongoing EU concerns over human rights, rule of law, and treatment of religious minorities in Turkey, amid its stalled EU membership bid since 1999.1
Though non-binding, it carries political weight, likely prompting the European Commission and EU diplomatic service to address the issue with Turkish authorities.1
Related reports note Turkey using urban planning to undermine Christian institutions.1
Examine the Catholic Church’s role in safeguarding religious freedom abroad
The Catholic Church views religious freedom as a fundamental human right rooted in the dignity of the person created in God's image, essential for seeking truth, fostering peace, and building just societies. Abroad, the Church safeguards this freedom through doctrinal teaching, papal diplomacy, support for persecuted communities, and promotion of interreligious dialogue, as evidenced in key magisterial documents and recent addresses. This role is not merely defensive but actively missionary, balancing respect for conscience with the proclamation of Christ, while condemning violations worldwide.
The Church's defense of religious freedom abroad stems from its understanding of human dignity and the natural law. The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms that the Decalogue expresses the natural law, known through revelation and reason, underscoring the innate capacity for moral discernment. This foundation is elaborated in the Second Vatican Council's Dignitatis Humanae, which declares religious freedom a civil right based on personal dignity, not on the equality of religions . As the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith clarifies, this right enables individuals to seek truth without coercion, rejecting relativism or indifferentism.
Pope Leo XIV echoes this in his address to "Aid to the Church in Need," stating that religious freedom is "rooted in the dignity of the human person, created in God’s image and endowed with reason and free will," allowing people to "seek the truth, to live it freely, and to bear witness to it openly". Without it, societies disintegrate into fear and violence, making it a "cornerstone of any just society". Similarly, Pope Francis emphasized that religious freedom reflects "the highest human dignity, the ability to seek the truth and conform to it," indispensable for deploying human potentiality.
Popes have consistently used diplomatic platforms to champion religious freedom abroad. In his speech to the Diplomatic Corps, Pope Leo XIV links it to peacebuilding, noting that "religions and interreligious dialogue can make a fundamental contribution to fostering a climate of peace," requiring "full respect for religious freedom in every country". He calls for multilateral diplomacy to address conflicts, halting arms races that undermine freedoms.
Pope Francis, in his final address to the Diplomatic Corps, highlighted persecutions in Nicaragua, Venezuela, and beyond, urging guarantees for "religious freedom and other fundamental rights" and condemning "discreet" restrictions in Europe. He stressed, "there can be no true peace without the guarantee of religious freedom," including public manifestation of faith. Pope Leo XIV continued this in meeting "Aid to the Church in Need" during the Jubilee of Hope, praising their work amid "rising hostility and violence against... Christians," invoking 1 Cor 12:26: “If one member suffers, all suffer together”.
Historically, Pope John Paul II defended Eastern Churches under persecution, as in the Union of Uzhorod and Brest, where emigrants raised voices for brethren's freedoms, strengthening Vatican II's appeals .
The Church actively aids suffering communities abroad. "Aid to the Church in Need," founded post-WWII, embodies this by accompanying threatened Churches, fostering reconciliation. Pope Leo XIV commended their mission to "remember [persecuted brothers and sisters], stand with them, and labour to secure their God-given freedoms".
The Compendium of the Social Doctrine frames this as evangelizing society with Gospel values of justice, freedom, and peace, infusing "the power of meaning and freedom found in the Gospel". Pope Francis noted concerns over anti-Semitism and Christian persecutions by terrorists in Africa and Asia.
Safeguarding freedom abroad aligns with the missionary mandate. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's Doctrinal Note on Evangelization addresses confusions where proselytism is misconstrued as limiting freedom, clarifying that presenting Christ respects conscience while fulfilling Mt 28:19. Catholics in politics must promote moral truths like religious freedom without ideological neutrality.
Pope Francis warned against an "ethically neutral" State marginalizing religions, advocating dialogue between State and faiths for the common good.
Lay Catholics abroad are called to political commitment, defending freedoms per the Compendium. The Church instructs consciences for the common good, rejecting autonomy from moral law . This builds a "Catholic culture" reclaiming Gospel values.
In summary, the Church safeguards religious freedom abroad through unwavering doctrinal witness, diplomatic advocacy, material aid, and formation of the faithful, ensuring human dignity flourishes in pursuit of truth and peace.