Three workers at a Bible publishing house in Malatya, Turkey were killed on Wednesday, April 18, in the latest apparent attack on Turkey's minority Christian community.
The three Christian men -- Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel of Turkey, and Tilman Ekkehart Geske of Germany -- were bound and had their throats slit in a Christian book publishing office. Several people have been detained for questioning regarding the killings.
The murder has sent shockwaves across the Christian minority in Turkey, and the Christian community worldwide.
Political tensions have been rising in the secular but largely Sunni Muslim country over the past year. Earlier this year, Armenian Christian editor Hrant Dink was shot dead by an ultranationalist youth. Last year, a Catholic priest was killed.
World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) representative Johan Candelin of Finland will travel to Turkey on April 20 to provide spiritual support to the families of the three deceased.
"Something very dangerous is happening in Turkey at this time. The country is knocking at Europe's door and far from everyone is happy about it. At the same time the nation is about to choose a new president and tension between Islamists and nationalists is growing stronger everyday. I ask all Christians to pray for families of the victims, for the protection of the Christian minority and for Turkey," Candelin said on Thursday.
Geoff Tunnicliffe, international director of the WEA, also expressed his grief over the tragic event.
"We condemn this act of violence against Turkish Christians. We must find a way of resolving conflict without resorting to these kinds of brutal acts. It is incumbent upon government, community and faith leaders to help create a climate of mutual respect that builds understanding and reconciliation. Today, we grieve for the loss of our brothers and we stand in solidarity, prayer and support for Christians in Turkey."
Also The President of the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe, Pastor Thomas Wipf (Berne/Switzerland) has expressed his deeply-felt sympathy to the victims' next of kin: “Both Muslims and Christians in Europe face great challenges over the political exploitation of religion. Our religions are peace movements. Witness to God is incompatible with the use of violence.
"We will do most lasting honour to the memory of the victims if we make this crime the occasion for strengthening the bonds of trust and peace between Christians, Jews and Muslims in Europe.
"I note with gratitude that the Muslim population of the town of Malatya has spontaneously shown solidarity with the victims.” Wipf added: "Turkey is a European county. There too people must be able to take it for granted that they can choose their religion freely and practise it together in public."
World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) is a global ministry working with local churches around the world to join in common concern to live and proclaim the Good News of Jesus in their communities. WEA is a network of churches in 128 nations that have each formed an evangelical alliance and over 100 international organizations joining together to give a worldwide identity, voice and platform to more than 420 million evangelical Christians.
To the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE) belong at present 105 Protestant churches in Europe (including five South-American churches originating from Europe ) belong Lutheran, Reformed, United and Methodist along with pre-Reformation churches such as Hussites and Czech Brethren grant each other pulpit and table fellowship on the basis of the Leuenberg Agreement of 1973.