Steve Georganas calls on Senator Wong to intervene in Hagia Sophia case

The Member for Adelaide, Steve Georganas, has written to Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong urging her to intervene successful the lawsuit of a Greek Australian antheral and his Greek relative who were arrested successful Turkey aft unfurling a Greek emblem wrong Hagia Sophia.

As Neos Kosmos has reported, Greek Australian Michael Mazis and his 42-year-old relative were detained aft displaying the emblem during a abbreviated Easter trip. The brace had intended to instrumentality to Australia within days to resume work.

In his missive to Wong, Georganas said helium had been contacted by members of the Greek Australian assemblage seeking assistance successful the case.

“I clasp sedate concerns that, without urgent involution from the Australian Government, Turkish authorities whitethorn not let Michael Mazis to instrumentality location to his loved ones successful Australia. There are besides superior fears for his welfare while successful custody, including the hazard of racism, mistreatment and intelligence harm owed to his Greek practice and Christian faith,” helium wrote.

Georganas besides referenced UNESCO rulings recognising Hagia Sophia arsenic “an architectural masterpiece and a unique symbol of the taste speech betwixt Europe and Asia”, noting longstanding planetary disapproval of its conversion into a mosque by the Turkish state.

He said the incidental progressive Mazis and his relative being filmed “peacefully holding a emblem representing the site’s Christian heritage”, earlier their apprehension connected charges of “inciting nationalist hatred and insulting members of the public”—offences that reportedly transportation a imaginable situation condemnation of up to 4 years.

The MP likened the incidental to a hypothetical lawsuit successful Australia, saying: “An Indigenous Australian would look apprehension for conducting a Welcome to Country oregon a smoking ceremonial connected ineffable land. Yet Michael Mazis’ look of taste transportation to a ineffable ιστοσελίδα of ancestry has resulted successful his detention.”

Neos Kosmos has antecedently contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which said the Australian Government was “engaging with the Turkish Government successful narration to this matter”.

This masthead has again sought remark and is awaiting a response.

Meanwhile, the Greek authorities is besides lobbying for the cousins’ release. Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis said helium hopes the substance will beryllium resolved “very soon” and scope a affirmative outcome.

Speaking successful the Greek Parliament successful effect to autarkic MP Giorgos Manousos, helium said efforts were underway to unafraid either a speedy trial oregon conditional merchandise successful spot of continued pre-trial detention.

Below is Steve Georganas’s afloat missive to Senator Wong, the Minister for Foreign Affairs

Dear Minister

Re: Australian Intervention for Michael Mazis.

I write to you successful my capableness arsenic the Federal Member for Adelaide, and arsenic a Member of Parliament representing a ample Greek community. Many members of the assemblage person approached maine to assistance successful the lawsuit of Michael Mazis imprisoned successful Turkey.

I clasp sedate concerns that, without urgent involution from the Australian Government, Turkish authorities whitethorn not let Michael Mazis to instrumentality location to his loved ones successful Australia. There are besides superior fears for his welfare while successful custody, including the hazard of racism, mistreatment and intelligence harm owed to his Greek practice and Christian faith.

I impulse you to bash everything within your powerfulness to guarantee Michael Mazis’ harmless and swift instrumentality to Australia.

I judge that Michael Mazis travelled to Istanbul successful April 2026. Where I understand that during his visit, helium attended the Hagia Sophia, a ιστοσελίδα unfastened to the public. By way of background, the Hagia Sophia was primitively constructed successful 537 AD arsenic a Christian religion by the Greek assemblage and aboriginal became a depository earlier being converted into a mosque by the Turkish Government successful 2020.

Importantly the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognises Hagia Sophia arsenic an architectural masterpiece and a unique symbol of the taste speech betwixt Europe and Asia and has expressed regret implicit its conversion without anterior consultation, emphasising the request to sphere its universal practice value.

I americium told that while wrong Hagia Sophia, Michael Mazis and a household subordinate were filmed peacefully holding a emblem representing the site’s Christian heritage. When I judge that connected 10 April 2026, they were arrested by Turkish authorities and charged with inciting nationalist hatred and insulting members of the public—offences which, according to reports, transportation a imaginable situation condemnation of up to 4 years.

I judge such a peaceful and idiosyncratic look of religion and taste transportation would not represent a transgression offence successful a mature antiauthoritarian society. A chap Australian wrote to maine and suggested that by comparison, it is inconceivable that an Indigenous Australian would look apprehension for conducting a Welcome to Country oregon a smoking ceremonial connected ineffable land. Yet Michael Mazis’ look of taste transportation to a ineffable ιστοσελίδα of ancestry has resulted successful his detention.

There are besides broader concerns regarding the regularisation of instrumentality and spiritual state successful Turkey. The World Justice Project has reported a diminution successful entree to justness and adherence to the regularisation of law, while the United States Commission connected International Religious Freedom has highlighted expanding prosecutions related to alleged spiritual offences and restrictions connected number religion communities.

These circumstances rise superior doubts astir Michael Mazis’ entree to just ineligible representation, a conscionable trial, and humane treatment while detained.

Through my ain idiosyncratic acquisition visiting the Hagia Sophia and having had the honour of gathering His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew, I understand Michael Mazis’ heavy passionateness for returning to this spot and his profound tendency to explicit his Christian religion and heritage.

For these reasons, I again respectfully inquire you to take each indispensable steps to guarantee Michael Mazis’ punctual and harmless instrumentality to Australia. I strongly judge we indispensable bash each that is imaginable to guarantee his harmless instrumentality to Australia.

I thank you successful beforehand for your information of this correspondence and should you request to bash so, delight bash not hesitate to interaction maine connected 08 8269 2433 oregon via email astatine [email protected] arsenic I would beryllium much than blessed to speak to you astir this matter. I look guardant to your proposal connected this issue.

Yours sincerely,

Steve Georganas MP Federal Member for Adelaide

13 May 2026