Two Russian tourists were detained for allegedly reading the Bible aloud in the visitor section of Istanbul's Hagia Sophia, which was reconverted into a mosque in 2020.

The incident occurred on July 13 (according to Russian reports) or July 14 (according to Turkish reports). The tourists, identified as Viktoria and Igor, are under investigation under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code for "inciting the public to hatred and hostility or degradation." They were referred to the Provincial Migration Authority and may face deportation.

Russia's official news agency TASS confirmed the reports and stated that the Russian Consulate General in Istanbul is investigating the matter. The same report noted that the Istanbul Governor's Office and the Provincial Migration Directorate did not respond to inquiries.

Turkey's official news agency Anadolu Agency published the story under the headline "2 people caught reading the 'Bible' aloud at the Grand Hagia Sophia Mosque," confirming that an investigation had been launched under Article 216.

Background: Originally built as a cathedral during the Byzantine era, Hagia Sophia served as a mosque during Ottoman times and as a museum after the founding of the Turkish Republic. In 2020 it was reconverted to a mosque. With roughly 1,500 years of history, the site holds deep religious significance for both Christians and Muslims and is visited by millions of tourists each year.

AI-Powered Translation: This article was automatically translated from Turkish to English.
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