Andrew Brunson, a North Carolina pastor, has been released from a Turkish prison but is still on house arrest.
After two years of uncertainty in a Turkish prison, Pastor Andrew Brunson, of Black Mountain, NC, is finally being released.
Brunson was first imprisoned on terrorism charges after an attempted coup in the summer of 2016 against President Recep Erdoğan. He faces up to 35 years in prison.
The American Center for Law and Justice confirms the pastor is currently placed on house arrest.
NBC spoke with Brunson’s lawyer, Ismail Cem Halavurt, who says Brunson is not allowed to leave his house under any condition other than to go to interviews or court hearings.
Halavurt also says Brunson’s family is happy progress is being made in his case, but they still feel betrayed by the country their kids grew up in.
The pastor’s transition to house arrest led to many government officials, including President Donald Trump, to speak on the matter. In a tweet, President Trump asks President Erdoğan to free the Christian pastor.
Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and James Lankford of Texas released a joint press release as well.
“Today’s decision by the Turkish Court system to move Pastor Andrew Brunson from prison to house arrest is a step in the right direction and will help alleviate some of the unacceptable hardship and anguish Pastor Brunson and his family have endured over the last 20 months,” they said. “The Government of Turkey should now release Pastor Brunson and immediately return him to the United States, an action that would begin to restore the longstanding friendship between our two nations.”
