Two Russian citizens detained at Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

On July 13, two Russian tourists identified as Viktoria Sergeevna Filonova and Igor Andreevich Filonov were reportedly detained in Istanbul. According to Turkish press reports, the pair were apprehended by security personnel inside Hagia Sophia for allegedly reading passages from the Bible aloud. They were subsequently taken to a police station where authorities are investigating the incident under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code, which pertains to inciting hatred or insulting public sentiment. This offense carries a potential prison sentence of six months to one year, with the possibility of deportation for foreign nationals if the act is deemed to threaten public order. The Russian Consulate General in Istanbul is monitoring the situation and is in contact with Turkish authorities and the detainees' legal counsel. As of now, there has been no official confirmation of these events from the Turkish government. Different reports remain consistent regarding the nature of the allegations, though they rely primarily on media citations rather than official police statements.