Turkey detaines two Russian tourists for ‘reciting Bible’ at Hagia Sophia

Police detained two Russian tourists for allegedly reading the Bible aloud at the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in İstanbul.

The incident occurred on Jul 14 in the visitor section of the historic site, with police detaining the individuals identified as I.F., 32, and V.F., 36, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA). Russian media first reported the incident, stating that it incident happened on Jul 13.

Authorities initiated legal proceedings against the tourists on charges of “inciting the public into hatred and enmity,” and subsequently handed them over to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management.

Russia’s consulate in İstanbul had contacted the couple’s attorney, according to reports in the Russian media.

Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985, was re-converted into a mosque by a decree from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2020.

It was built as an Orthodox cathedral under the Byzantine Empire in the 6th century. Following the Ottoman conquest of İstanbul in 1453, it was converted into a mosque. In 1934, it became a museum under the secularization policies of the new republic. 

Steps to convert the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque began in Jun 2020, when the Council of State, Turkey’s top administrative court, annulled the 1934 cabinet decree that had granted the structure its museum status.

Following this ruling, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a decree on Jul 10, 2020, transferring the administration of the site to the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) to open it for worship.

With this decision, the 1,500-year-old structure officially regained mosque status. The first Friday prayers in 86 years were held at the site on Jul 24, 2020.

The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Assembly subsequently updated its zoning plans, changing the designation of the building from a museum to the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque and Complex. 

(VK/TY)