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Wednesday, August 01, 2018

Turkey Rejects American Pastor’s Appeal to Be Released

A Turkish court has rejected pastor Andrew Brunson’s appeal to be released from house arrest and have a travel ban lifted so he can return to the United States.

Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency said a court in the city of Izmir issued the ruling after stating there has been no change in the "strong criminal suspicion" against Brunson, the Associated Press reports.

An evangelical pastor from North Carolina, Brunson was arrested after the failed Turkish coup attempt in 2016. He was charged with supposed ties to the Kurdistan Workers Party and a U.S.-based Muslim cleric, Fethullah Gulen, whom the Turkish government blames for the unrest unleashed by the coup.

President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have all called for the pastor’s release. Two weeks ago, a Turkish court refused to release Brunson from prison, prompting swift condemnation from U.S. officials.

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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dirt poor country,just barely staying alive.What praytell are they thinking?

Anonymous said...

Send in seal team 6 7 8 9.

Anonymous said...

They want him to convert to Islam.

Anonymous said...

100% Sanctions.