Freedom of Religion or Belief in Turkey

Aug 14

WHEN:

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

Virtual

Register Here

 

Please join the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for 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 will assess 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 will also consider 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 the U.S. Department of State’s Special Watch List, or SWL, for engaging in systematic and ongoing violations of religious freedom, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).

 

Witnesses will discuss potential next steps to advance freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in Turkey and to 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

  • 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].