Church fights for life in its 16th court battle

One of the very few legally operated Protestant churches in Turkey is fighting for its life – again. The church has battled through 15 court cases in the predominantly Muslim nation over the last six years, and it's about to become 16.

Last week two police officers approached the pastor of Batikent Protestant Church in the capital city of Ankara and served him with a notice that church had three days to close its doors.

Pastor Daniel Wickwire and his family

The problem – this time – is that the church is supposedly violating zoning codes by operating in a building not approved as a place of worship.

Last year, the church faced the same charge and won its case in court against the Yenimahalle Municipal Government. The current police notice is forcing the church to battle again over a case it has already won.

The founding pastor of the church, Daniel Wickwire, told International Christian Concern, "It is very obvious that what is happening to our church is a pre-meditated, continuous and jointly orchestrated direct attack against the church as a whole in Turkey by the right-wing Islamic government (AK Party) that is currently in control."

Christians, who make up less than one percent of the population in Turkey, have been subjected to numerous attacks in recent years, many violent. In 2006, a Turkish teen shot to death a Roman Catholic priest as he prayed in his church. Two other priests were attacked the same year. Last year, three Christians were martyred when a group of Muslim men who feigned meeting them for a Bible study instead bound, tortured and brutally killed them.

Wickwire's battles haven't been nearly so bloody, but the fight to keep his ministry alive remains constant. Though he has lived in Turkey for 20 years, the government refuses to give him a work or residence permit, which means he must leave the country and return again as a "tourist" every 90 days.

His church, a four-story building that has 190 square meters on each floor, operates a free give-away library of Christian books in Turkish and neighbors a mosque, remains a target for legal, social and political persecution.

Just last year, the church fought in court to continue receiving free water, a privilege the government extends to all mosques in the municipality. The church originally lost that case, but the Council of State overturned the decision, calling the original ruling "anathema to equality."

In another instance, a Turkish TV personality attempted to interview Wickwire with the purpose of raising public opposition to the church's presence. The TV newsperson was later convicted of attempting to incite riots against the churches of Ankara but avoided serving any jail time.

After the police issued the Batikent Protestant Church with notice to close, Wickwire prepared for battle again. His lawyers opened yet another court case challenging this latest attempt to force the church out of business.

"It is high time," said Wickwire, "for the international community to speak out against such overt, blatant, and continual harassment and persecution of the church."