Armenians and Christians in Turkey face discrimination

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenians and other Christians in Turkey face discrimination, encountering both social and institutional pressures, according to the Open Doors World Watch List 2025 report, which examines the global state of Christians.

The report notes that rising nationalism in Turkey presents significant challenges for Christian minorities, including Armenians.

According to the findings, Turkey ranks among the top 50 countries where Christians face the most severe difficulties due to their faith., Turkish Minute reports.

Despite Christianity's longstanding historical presence in the region, it is often perceived as a Western influence, deepening the sense of alienation even among moderate Muslims and secular Turks.

“Christian communities, including followers of Greek and Armenian churches, are often viewed as foreigners. Their churches face bureaucratic hurdles and legal restrictions that hinder their religious activities.

Armenian and Assyrian communities, in particular, experience heightened pressures in southeastern Turkey, where ethnic and religious tensions are more pronounced. For decades, these communities have found themselves at the center of conflicts between the Turkish military and Kurdish armed groups. As a result, many Christians have been forced to leave their ancestral lands and relocate to safer areas, primarily in the western parts of the country,” the report states.