Over 100 members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL), from countries as diverse as Iran, Malaysia, and Thailand were pushed back and detained at the Turkish-Bulgarian border and threatened with deportation in May 2023. They had attempted to seek asylum in Europe by presenting themselves at the Turkish border.

This was despite their claim for legal asylum in Bulgaria being supported by an open letter, signed by at least 25 human rights organizations including HRWF (Human Rights Without Frontiers). Upon arrival at the border, they claimed to have encountered violence from Turkish border guards, who allegedly fired gunshots over their heads and assaulted them before detaining them and transporting them to a police station located more than 20 kilometers from the border.

"Harrowing footage of the event shows gunshots being fired while the group are brutalized by border guards," a statement from the group said. Among those detained were two UK citizens, who claimed to be journalists.

The group of 40 members of AROPL at Edirne on the border from a 100-strong community have been informed by the Turkish Immigration authorities they must move to one of 18 designated refugees locations across Turkey by July 24 or face deportation. The group has been living in Turkey for the last year, but their resident permits are about to expire.

The AROPL, considered heretical in parts of the Arab world, attempted to seek asylum in Europe. Most of the group are from Iran and Iraq, with one member who is from Palestine. The AROPL religious doctrines have also been denounced as heretical in Turkey, a predominately Muslim country.

The detained individuals, including women, children and the elderly, are reportedly facing deportation within the next 7-10 days. If returned to their countries of origin, they could face execution due to their religious beliefs under blasphemy laws.

The AROPL believe alcohol is permissible, there is no formal prayer, the Quran we have today is not in its original form, the Kaaba is in Petra not Mecca, the hijab is not mandatory and the Islamic calendar is wrong.

The group has reportedly been subjected to systematic persecution, including beatings, imprisonment, kidnappings and other forms of abuse in various Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, Iraq and Egypt, according to a press release issued by the group. The UN previously advised that the AROPL should not be deported under any circumstances.

A spokesperson for the Ahmadi group emphasised the urgency of their situation: "It is vital for us not to be sent back to our country because we would risk being executed. Getting asylum in the EU will be our passport to life."

The group was founded in the US and headquartered in the UK and EU. It should not to be confused with the Sunni-derivative Ahmadiyya Community, that is also persecuted in many Muslim countries, according to Human Rights Without Frontiers International.

The refugees assert that they have complied with all legal procedures for seeking asylum under international human rights laws before crossing the border. Several humanitarian organisations have intervened to advocate for their safety, including the European Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN), which issued an open letter co-signed by 28 human rights organisations.

"For Turkey to respond to this humanitarian refugee crisis in this manner is a breaking of internationally agreed-upon human rights laws," the letter stated. "This breaking of human rights laws by the Turkish Government is an outrage and an absolute travesty of justice."

The BVMN and other groups are demanding that the detained Ahmadis be granted their right to asylum and sanctuary, treated as lawful citizens and released immediately from detention.