A Turkish court sentenced Syriac priest Father Sefer to two years and one month in prison on terrorism-related charges. This sentence comes just over a year after Father Bileçen was detained alongside twelve others on the charges of aiding the PKK, an internationally recognised terrorist organisation. Father Bileçen said, ‘Two members of the organisation came to the monastery asking for food, and I gave it. It was detected afterwards, and the gendarmerie commander met me through the metropolitan bishop. I did not deny it. I wanted security measures to be taken so that this would not happen again. But no security measures were taken.’ Nevertheless he thought the case was closed. Christians in rural Turkey are caught in the middle of the Turkey-PKK conflict and no matter how they respond - they lose. Religious charity is being criminalised.
Turkey: priest imprisoned for religious charity
Written by David Fletcher 08 Apr 2021Additional Info
- Pray: for the model established by the Turkish court in this decision to be reversed. (Isaiah 61:8)
- More: www.persecution.org/2021/04/07/turkey-sentences-priest-imprisonment-acts-religious-charity/
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