Turkish authorities in Istanbul have arrested two Russian tourists following reports that they were reading passages from the Bible aloud inside the iconic Hagia Sophia.
The two detained individuals, Viktoria Sergeyevna Filonova and Igor Andreyevich Filonov, were spotted by the monument’s security personnel during the reading and were immediately taken to the local police station. The Russian consulate has already been informed of the incident and is in direct communication with Turkish authorities and the legal representatives of the two citizens.
Russian tourists face criminal charges and possible deportation for reading the Bible at Hagia Sophia
The case is being handled with considerable severity by Turkish authorities under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code. This particular provision concerns the “incitement of hatred and hostility or insulting public sentiment.”
The relevant legislation provides for a prison sentence of six months to one year, and for foreign nationals, this may be accompanied by deportation if it is deemed that the act poses a risk to public order.
