Russian couple detained after Bible reading at Hagia Sophia

A Russian couple vacationing in Istanbul has been detained and faces deportation after the husband read from a Bible inside the historic Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque. The incident, which occurred on July 14, has drawn diplomatic attention and highlights the ongoing sensitivities surrounding the site's status as an active mosque.

The couple, identified as 32-year-old Igor Filonov and 35-year-old Viktoria Filonova, arrived in Turkey from Moscow on July 13. The following day, during a visit to Hagia Sophia, Igor reportedly took out a Bible and began reading from it. According to the couple's account, security personnel immediately surrounded them, escorted them from the building, and took them to a police station in Istanbul's Fatih district.

Authorities suspect the couple of violating Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code, which addresses incitement to hatred or hostility and publicly insulting religious values. A police report indicated that Viktoria told investigators she was unaware reading the Bible was prohibited. She stated that only her husband was reading the text, while she only glanced at it occasionally.

After being processed at the police station, the couple was...