Freedom of Religion or Belief in Turkey
Aug 14
Aug 14th 10:30am
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing
Freedom of Religion or Belief in Turkey
Thursday, August 14, 2025
10:30 AM-12:00 PM ET
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) held a virtual hearing on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in Turkey.
USCIRF’s visit to Turkey in September 2024 and subsequent reporting have confirmed that the Turkish government continues to restrict religious freedom through a variety of means, including administrative, educational, and judicial. This hearing assessed these areas of FoRB restrictions and how they impact Turkey’s many religious communities: Alevis, Protestant Christians, Orthodox and Apostolic Christians, Jews, Sunni Muslims, secularists, and others. It also considered how the United States can leverage bilateral and multilateral mechanisms to support FoRB for all who call Turkey home.
In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate Turkey for its Special Watch List (SWL) due to its systematic and ongoing violations of religious freedom, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).
Witnesses discussed potential next steps to advance freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in Turkey and improve conditions for members of the country’s religious minority and majority communities alike.
Opening Remarks
Vicky Hartzler, Chair, USCIRF
Asif Mahmood, Vice Chair, USCIRF
Panel
- Gus M. Bilirakis, Congressman of the 12th District of Florida
Written Testimony - Ramazan Arkan, Chair of the Association of Protestant Churches in Turkey (Protestan Kiliseler Derneği) and Senior Pastor of the Antalya Evangelical Churches
Haydar Baki Dogan, President, Alevi Foundations Federation
Soner Cagaptay, Beyer Family Senior Fellow and Director of the Turkish Research Program, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Thomas Paul Schirrmacher, President, International Institute for Religious Freedom and the International Council of the International Society for Human Rights
This hearing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. The video recording of the hearing will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions or to schedule an interview, please email [email protected].