Born Greek, Stateless Since Childhood: My Journey Under Former Article 19 I was born in Istanbul, Türkiye, on 3 December 1976. At birth, I was a Greek citizen through my parents, who belonged to the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace and were registered in the Municipality of Neo Sidirochori, Rhodope, Greece.When I was only nine years old, my life changed forever.On 29 August 1986, I lost my Greek citizenship under the former Article 19 of the Greek Citizenship Code—a law that disproportionately affected members of the Turkish Muslim Minority of Western Thrace. I had no voice, no opportunity to defend myself, and no understanding of what citizenship even meant. Yet I lost it.Although Article 19 was repealed in 1998, my citizenship was never restored. Like thousands of others affected by this law, I have continued to live with the consequences.Today, I am still stateless.I legally reside in Türkiye under a humanitarian residence permit and rely on a 1954 Convention Travel Document. Every time I need to renew this document, the process takes months, during whi
