Russian couple faces deportation from Türkiye after <a href="https://christiancorner.us/2026/07/16/two-russians-detained-at-hagia-sophia-for-reading-bible-russian-media-claims/” title=”Two Russians detained at Hagia Sophia for reading Bible, Russian media claims”>reading Bible inside Hagia Sophia
17 July 2026 13:01 (UTC+04:00)
Akbar Novruz
A Russian couple is facing possible deportation from Türkiye
after being detained for allegedly reading passages from the Bible
inside Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, AzerNEWS
reports
The couple, identified as Viktoria Filonova and Igor Filonov,
were detained earlier this week after Igor reportedly read aloud
from the Bible while visiting the historic site, which was
reconverted from a museum into a mosque in 2020. The incident
reportedly took place in the visitor section of Hagia Sophia after
the couple had arrived in Istanbul from Moscow
According to Russia’s state-owned RIA Novosti, the pair were
initially taken to a police station before being transferred to a
deportation center, where Turkish authorities are considering their
removal from the country. The Russian Consulate General in Istanbul
said it is in contact with the couple’s lawyer and Turkish
officials regarding the case
Turkish media reported that prosecutors are investigating the
couple on suspicion of inciting hatred or hostility, while
authorities continue to review the circumstances surrounding the
incident
Hagia Sophia, originally built as a Byzantine cathedral in the
sixth century, served as a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of
Constantinople before becoming a museum in 1935. In 2020, Türkiye
officially restored the site’s status as a mosque, while keeping
parts of the monument open to visitors outside prayer times
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