Consulate general investigates detention of Russians in Istanbul's Hagia Sophia mosque

ANKARA, July 15. /TASS/. Russia’s Consulate General in Istanbul is investigating the circumstances around the detention of Russian citizens in the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque.

"Currently there is no information on the case," the embassy told TASS, adding that the diplomats are looking into the matter. Sources inside the Istanbul police confirmed the incident but declined further comment. Provincial authorities and the migration office also have not commented on the incident in response to a TASS inquiry.

The manager of the hotel where the detainees were staying did not disclose any information about the guests' whereabouts, citing legislation that prohibits sharing information about guests with third parties.

As some Russian media previously reported, two Russians, named Victoria and Igor, were detained for reading the Bible in the Hagia Sophia on July 13. Security forces took them to a police office and drew up a report on suspicion of an offense under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code, which addresses "provoking people to be rancorous and hostile or humiliating of certain groups of the population."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree in July 2020 officially converting the Hagia Sophia Church, which was previously functioning as a museum, into a mosque, with religious services being resumed there.