Legal proceedings initiated against 2 tourists reading the Bible aloud at Hagia Sophia

Teams from the Istanbul Security Directorate determined that two people were reading the Bible aloud on 14 Temmuz in the visitor section of the Ayasofya-i Kebir Camii. Police teams arriving at the scene where the incident took place caught the suspects in a short time.

Two suspects named I.F. (32) and V.F. (36), who were detained by security forces, were found to have come to Turkey for touristic purposes. Legal proceedings were initiated against the individuals under the Turkish Penal Code on charges of "inciting hatred and hostility among the public."

After the procedures were completed, both suspects were handed over to the Provincial Migration Management units. The incident in question went on record as a remarkable provocation attempt that took place in the historic Ayasofya-i Kebir Camii, which is considered a place of worship.