An American-Canadian evangelist has been barred from entering Turkey in an apparent breach of an official undertaking that he would be able to rejoin his family there.
David Byle has lived in Turkey for 19 years and was arrested and detained on October 13, the day after Pastor Andrew Brunson was released. He was given 15 days to leave the country but was told that a re-entry ban would not be issued.
However, according to International Christian Concern, when he flew last week from Stuttgartt to Istanbul, he was refused entry.
He said: 'At the passport control, the policeman checked my documents, put his entry stamp on a page in my passport and slowly pressed down on it, with his eyes fixed to the computer screen in front of him.'
He continued: 'The entry stamp was put in my passport, but his eyes didn't leave the screen, and a frustrated look spread over his face. He picked up the phone, and shortly thereafter another policeman arrived to take me to their office.
'I overheard them saying, "We need to cancel this entry stamp; there's an entry ban on the guy!"
'My fears were proven true: an entry ban, and not a three-month or one-year ban, but a permanent one,' he said.
Byle remained in a detention centre before leaving Turkey. During his residence in the country he has faced a number of short-term detentions and interrogations as well as attempts to deport him.
He intends to contest the ban but is not hopeful of success.
Claire Evans, ICC's regional manager, said: 'Turkey is making it increasingly clear that there is no room for Christianity, even though the constitution states otherwise. It is no coincidence that Turkey decided to initiate this process the day after Brunson's release from prison and that, in doing so, the authorities ignored a court order. We must keep the Byle family in our prayers during this period of difficult separation.'
