12/02/2019 Turkey (International Christian Concern) – Turkey’s investigation into the murder of Korean evangelist Jinwook Kim continues three weeks after his death on November 19th in the city of Diyarbakir. The local authorities have come under condemnation that the investigation is proceeding as a judicial secret rather than informing society of the factual evidence relating to the case.
The police arrested a 16-year-old youth, who was turned into the police by his father after he confessed to stabbing someone the previous night. The youth, who has not been named by the authorities, reportedly told authorities that he was trying to steal Kim’s phone and has a criminal record. Kim was openly living as a Christian.
There is internal conflict regarding whether Kim was murdered because of a mugging gone wrong or because of his Christian activities in the local area. The Human Rights Center of the Diyarbakir Bar Association issued a statement that they have not reached any findings suggesting that Kim’s murder was related to his faith. However, Turkey’s Association for Protestant Churches issued a statement urging that the murder is examined from all aspects, not just a robbery.
Many Turkish pastors continue to express fears to ICC that this event is the outcome of a culture that is increasingly become more hostile to Christians because of the political posturing of the ruling leadership. The murder of Kim has shocked and jolted the Turkish Christian community, who are fearful that similar events will happen to them if they live their faith more publicly.
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