7/24/2024 Turkey (International Christian Concern) — The Diyarbakir Protestant Church Foundation sought to acquire land zoned for religious use to build a worship center, but Turkish authorities recently denied their request.

Founded in 2019, the church has been meeting in a space too small for its congregation of more than 100 people. In 2023, it legally pursued using the zoned land to build a church building, but the Diyarbakir 4th Administrative Court recently struck down its challenge. ADF International is supporting the church’s appeal.  

“The court has told the church leaders that they can simply purchase undesignated land and apply for a religious use designation, however such a request has never been granted in Türkiye (Turkey),” ADF International stated.  

The land denial is just the latest move by Turkish authorities to restrict Christianity within the country. Turkey’s highest court, the Constitutional Court, recently ruled that the government’s expulsion of nine foreign Christian leaders based on secret service reports does not violate their freedom of religion. 

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