Two months after Deniz Kasan and Turgay Papakci exchanged their wedding vows at the Istanbul Presbyterian Church this summer, Kasan has been refused the right to change her religious designation. According to a November 10 news report from Compass Direct, after being married, she went to the local population bureau to confirm her new marital status and surname, as well as submitting an application for a change her religious designation. However, she received a notice that same day from the local official stating that her church was not an officially recognized house of worship and therefore her baptismal certificate was invalid. The church has been meeting for nine years. Papakci had previously changed his religious ID after being baptized in the same church, so they have no idea why Kasan's application was refused. However, another new Christian in their church, 21-year-old Beyza Gun, was also refused that same week. According to their pastor, Rev. Turgay Ucal, any Turkish citizen over the age of eighteen has the legal right to change religious affiliation by simply signing a statement. A lawyer has been hired to contest the rejections.
Two other believers from the Istanbul Protestant Church have also been refused permission to change their religious designation. A woman from Ankara's Salvation Army church was also refused in April, but after six months of delays, her application was finally approved.
Says Dogru, the lawyer for the Istanbul Presbyterian Church, "Without question, Turkey's laws and constitution guarantee freedom of religion. But in order to win this, our citizens have to fight for it in the courts of law."
Pray that the religious freedoms guaranteed in Turkey's constitution will be recognized by all and that local officials will stop blocking the rights to change religious affiliation. Pray for Deniz and Turgay, as they begin their life together with this pressure.
Population
