In 2021, religious freedom conditions in Turkey have remained poor. The Turkish government has continued to carry out actions, deliberate inactions, and rhetoric to fuel a political environment that is hostile to religious minorities. Little effort has been made to address key religious freedom issues, including granting minority religious communities legal personality and permission to hold board member elections, recognizing Alevi houses of worship, and re-opening the Theological School of Halki—a seminary of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Government tolerance of hate speech and acts of violence persisted in Turkey throughout 2021, which are noted in this report.

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