8/30/2023 0 Comments Turkey tidal priceOne of the Christians detained in Antalya, Kamran Topa Ebrahimi, explained how the men in his camp went on hunger strike to protest against the conditions there, and a lack of explanation of why they are being held. ‘Psychological war’ Kamran Topa Ebrahimi, with his wife, Mona, daughter Roshana (eight) and son Hoshiana (five). Meanwhile, those who have helped them to publicise their mistreatment have reported threats from the Turkish police. Some of the Christians recorded videos, which were sent to Article18 and in some cases also shared on social media, to help raise awareness of their plight. However, Article18 has also received reports of Iranian Christian refugees being arrested in several other cities over the past six months, and detained in camps across the country – including in the cities of Izmir and Aydin in the west, Van in the east, and Kayseri and Kirikkale in central Turkey. The majority live in the city of Isparta, in south-western Turkey, and have been detained at camps in the coastal city of Antalya, two hours’ drive away. Two are church leaders, while several of the others lead worship or help with the youth at their churches. ![]() (Assyrians are an ethnic minority group recognised as “Christian” in Iran, while converts from Islam are still considered Muslim, despite their change of belief.) Human Rights Watch has released two reports in recent months detailing similar mistreatment of Syrian and Afghan refugees, and now it appears Iranians are also being targeted.Īll but one of the Iranians Article18 spoke to are converts to Christianity the other is an Iranian-Assyrian. The Christians, who in some cases have been held for over three months, reported unsanitary conditions in the camps, lack of access to food, hot water and medication, and how husbands have been held separately from their wives and children and only permitted to see them once a week, for just 15 minutes, and in the presence of guards. ![]() These are just some of the faces of the Iranian Christians who have been detained in Turkey in recent weeks.Īrticle18 has received firsthand testimonies from five Iranian Christian refugee families – 17 individuals in total – who have been arrested in Turkey in recent weeks and taken to “removal centres”, where they have been detained and threatened with deportation.
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