Two Russian nationals were detained on 13 July at the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul after allegedly reading aloud from the Bible in the visitor area of the former cathedral, now a mosque.
The pair are being investigated under Article 216 of the Turkish penal code, which criminalises incitement to hatred and hostility. They have been transferred to a migrant detention centre pending further proceedings.
Russia's consulate general in Istanbul has opened an examination into the circumstances of the detention. The Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was reconverted from a museum into a functioning mosque in 2020, though non-Muslim visitors are permitted in designated areas outside prayer times.