On targeted expulsions of foreign journalists and foreign Christians in Türkiye under national security pretexts
B-10-2026-0131
on behalf of the PPE Group · Rapporteur: Sebastião Bugalho, Tomislav Sokol, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, Tomas Tobé, Loucas Fourlas, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Miriam Lexmann, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Davor Ivo Stier, Łukasz Kohut, Wouter Beke, Inese Vaidere, Vangelis Meimarakis, Jessica Polfjärd
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This resolution condemns Türkiye's use of national security pretexts to expel foreign Christians and journalists, citing cases like Kaveh Taheri and Kenneth Arthur Wiest. It urges Türkiye to ensure fair treatment, review security codes, lift unjustified bans, and protect press freedom.¶¶¶
Key points
- Strongly condemns any systematic or targeted use of immigration and security legislation to expel or exclude foreign nationals solely on the basis of religion, belief, or religious activities.¶
- Deplores the lack of access to evidence, reliance on undisclosed intelligence, and absence of meaningful judicial review, undermining fair trial and effective remedy rights.¶
- Urges Turkish authorities to ensure national security measures are strictly necessary, proportionate, individually reasoned, subject to genuine judicial review, and compliant with international human rights obligations.¶
- Calls on Turkish authorities to review security-code classifications such as N-82 and G-87.¶
- Calls for lifting unjustified entry bans and restoring residence rights where no criminal conduct has been established.¶
- Calls on Türkiye to ensure foreign and domestic journalists can work freely and without fear of detention, deportation, or judicial harassment; not to expel Kaveh Taheri or other foreign journalists.¶
- Calls on the High Representative and the Commission to raise these concerns systematically in political dialogue with Türkiye.¶