Joy Anna Crow Subaşıgüller, the American wife of a Turkish pastor in Ankara, has been told to leave the country in 10 days after her application to renew her residence permit was denied for no specific reason, Deutsche Welle Turkish service reported.
“I’m so sorry. I love Turkey and Turks very much. I’ve been living in this country for 10 years, and these have been the best years of my life,” she told DW.
The family, with three children aged 4, 2 and 2 months, appealed the Interior Ministry decision.
“Apparently my wife was seen as a danger to national security like other foreign Protestant community members. This is saddening for us,” pastor Lütfü Subaşıgüller said.
Two years ago Turkey jailed Andrew Brunson, an American pastor in İzmir, charging him with terrorism.
It turned into a serious standoff between Ankara and Washington, eventually leading to a currency crisis in Turkey.
Brunson was convicted of terrorism but sentenced to time served. He returned to the US immediately after his release.
According to the DW report, at least 35 Protestant chaplains have faced deportation since 2019. Among them is Carlos Madrigal, a Spanish pastor who has been in Turkey for 19 years.