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March 4, 2020

Some concerned Turkish president is weaponizing Syrian refugees

Syrian refugees try to reach the Turkish-Greek border in Turkey Feb. 28, 2020. Turkey and Greece are trading blame following the deaths of Syrian refugees trying to flee to Europe.

AMMAN, Jordan -- Turkey and Greece are trading blame following the deaths of Syrian refugees trying to flee to Europe, but some observers believe Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is weaponizing the Syrian refugee humanitarian crisis.

Published in International
August 4, 2016

Religious freedom threatened by Turkey’s response to coup

Supporters of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan celebrate July16 at Taksim Square in Istanbul after a failed coup attempt. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said more than 200 people were killed during the failed coup attempt.

Civil service purges and mass arrests in Turkey since a July 15 failed coup attempt are bad news for religious freedom in what has been one of the Muslim world’s most open and democratic societies, said Canada’s former ambassador for religious freedom.

Published in International
July 21, 2016

Turkey’s Catholics watchful during crackdown after failed coup

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaking during a July 20 press conference in Ankara. Erdogan has declared a three-month state of emergency after a July 15-16 coup attempt.

OXFORD, England – Bishop Ruben Tierrablanca Gonzalez, apostolic vicar of Istanbul, said Catholics were following closely the government crackdown that followed an attempted coup.

Published in International
September 10, 2014

Pope Francis to visit Turkey in November

Pope Francis will visit Turkey in November after Turkey’s newly elected president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, extended a formal invitation.

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis will visit Turkey in November, eight years after his predecessor, Benedict XVI, made a landmark visit to the predominantly Muslim country.

Published in Vatican