Arrest at Hagia Sophia: Russian tourist couple taken into custody for reading the Bible

After their arrest, the two Russians were transferred to a migrant internment camp. According to Turkish media reports, they are to be held there until the administrative proceedings are completed. Under Turkish law, the administrative detention of foreigners may not exceed six months, but it can be extended by another six months if deportation cannot be completed due to missing documents or a lack of cooperation on the part of the individual concerned.

History: From church to mosque to museum and back

The Hagia Sophia is one of the most famous buildings in the world and has a storied history. It was completed in 537 as the largest church of Christianity at that time; its dome in its present form dates from 562. After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, it was converted into a mosque.

In the Republic of Turkey, the state's founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk designated the building a museum in 1935. In July 2020, the Hagia Sophia was reconverted into a mosque by order of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Since then, the building has once again been a place of Muslim worship and is accessible only on a limited basis for non-religious visits.

On the occasion of the sixth anniversary of its reopening as a mosque, Turkish Culture Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy posted a message on social media that sparked outrage in the Orthodox world, particularly among Greeks. In it, Ersoy described the Hagia Sophia as a "symbol of conquest."

Outrage over Ersoy's "symbol of conquest"

In the controversial post, Ersoy wrote: "In the Hagia Sophia, dem Symbol der Eroberung und dem einzigartigen Erbe von Sultan Mehmed dem Eroberer, führen wir mit größter Sorgfalt die umfangreichsten Restaurierungsarbeiten in der Geschichte der Republik Türkei durch, um dieses heilige Erbe für künftige Generationen in seiner ursprünglichen Form zu bewahren." The choice of words drew sharp criticism from Greek Orthodox faithful and commentators.

Ersoy also recalled in his post the "historic day" on which the Hagia Sophia was reopened for worship with the signature of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In doing so, the minister explicitly linked the restoration work to the symbolic significance of the building for Turkish national history.

Legal consequences for those arrested

The arrest of the Russian tourists throws a spotlight on the religious tensions linked to the status of the Hagia Sophia. While the Turkish government treats the building as a mosque and a national symbol, Orthodox Christians and other faithful see it as the former principal church of Christianity and an important spiritual heritage.

In legal terms, the conduct of the Russian tourists is, according to the Turkish reading, suspected of having violated the provisions on religious incitement. How the authorities classify the specific incident — the reading of a Bible in a mosque — remained initially unclear. No information was initially available either about possible consular contacts or legal representation for those arrested.

The case is a reminder that, since its reconversion into a mosque, the Hagia Sophia has no longer been used as a museum but as a sacred place of Muslim devotion. Tourist visitors must likewise observe corresponding rules of conduct. As this case suggests, violations can apparently quickly lead to police consequences.

Overall, the incident illustrates how sensitive questions surrounding the use and religious interpretation of the Hagia Sophia remain to this day — both between religious communities and in the diplomatic relations between Turkey and other states such as Russia.