CV NEWS FEED // In 2023, Christians were the minority group that suffered the most sectarian attacks in Turkey, according to the Freedom of Belief Initiative.
The Freedom of Belief Initiative is an organization which documents hate crimes committed against religious groups, with particular attention to crimes against Jews and Christians.
According to Asia News, the Freedom of Belief Initiative’s Hate Crimes in Turkey Based on Religion, Belief, or Non-Belief report is created with the intention of ensuring that justice is served for such offenses, a responsibility that the Turkish justice system does not fully address.
The Initiative reported that based on information from media and religious communities, Christians are the most persecuted group in Turkey in 2023 with a total of 22 attacks, followed by Jews (14), Alevis (7), Yazidis (2), and atheists (1).
Further, Christians have been the most persecuted group since 2020, with a total of 52 documented attacks.
A review of past data shows that attacks on cemeteries, places of worship, homes, and schools associated with religious or faith communities are among the most common incidents.
Asia News notes that this figure does not account for the issue that official statistics represent only a fraction of actual incidents of hate crimes, and that many cases go unreported for various reasons, such as victims becoming desensitized to such treatment, or fear of social exclusion or of further victimization if they report, including by law enforcement.