A SAT-7 women’s show host has made an impassioned call to Turkish authorities to protect women amid widespread outrage over the murder of a 27-year-old student. The discovery on 21 July of the body of Pinar Gültekin and gruesome details of how her alleged killer tried to dispose of it have provoked fury in a country that, since 2017, has […]
The vulnerability of many of the essential ingredients for peace and security – freedom from conflict, basic utilities, health and food security, and freedom of belief– were exposed once again in another challenging month in the region. In Turkey, President Erdogan has ordered that Hagia Sophia, Istanbul’s fifth century basilica and a World Heritage Site, should become a mosque again. The structure […]
Rashin Soodmand was just 13 when she heard the horrifying news that her pastor father had been executed. Hossein Soodmand, a former Muslim, was the last person to be hanged in Iran for apostasy after he steadfastly refused to cease his Christian activities. Thirty years later, his daughter has also found her life calling in serving the Iranian church. Rashin’s […]
While the COVID-19 pandemic continued to add new layers of distress in the region, there were signs of God at work. WATCH NOW: SAT-7 TÜRK reports on the easing of restrictions in Turkey Turkey was one of the first countries to be affected by the virus. Initially, its response was more successful than that of most European countries and […]
A Turkish believer spotlights Turkey’s rich biblical history, the challenges faced by its present-day Church, and the fight for the soul of this influential country. Today’s Turkey is the host of some 2000 years of biblical and Church history. Most of its visitors and even its citizens, could be forgiven for not realising how central its land has been in […]
After an increase in attacks on church buildings and threats against Christians and minorities in Turkey, SAT-7 TÜRK has amplified their calls for peace and justice. “We are deeply concerned by the recent rise in threats and attacks against Christians and minority communities,” said Melih Ekener, the channel’s Executive Director. “SAT-7 TÜRK’s news department is a hub connected to churches […]
Public attention at home and in the Middle East and North Africa understandably turned inward in recent months as we faced the COVID-19 pandemic. But for others the pandemic has been a cover for more menacing activities. Since January 2020 there has been a surge in attacks by so-called Islamic State (IS) groups in Syria and Iraq. Eastern areas of […]
The Covid-19 pandemic is prompting many in Turkey to question and reassess their values and beliefs, says Cem Erçin, Pastor of Istanbul Immanuel Protestant Church. And increasing numbers are turning to SAT-7’s Turkish channel for answers. Away from his pulpit, Cem Erçin is also a gifted presenter on SAT-7 TÜRK. Here he is the host of Essence of the Gospel and co-host of […]
Passover, Easter and soon Ramadan will be marked in isolation in the Middle East this year. We look at how alarm over a string of man-made conflicts in the region has been overtaken by fear of a new enemy and how countries are responding. You could be forgiven for forgetting the fear that circled the globe following the US strike […]
Closed Middle East churches give SAT-7 a unique role this Easter For the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the UK, the Easter festival looks very different this year. Normally overflowing church pews in countries such as Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon are empty. From Bethlehem to Istanbul churches are closed and the region’s diverse Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical […]
