President Donald Trump demanded Thursday that Turkey free a detained American pastor, warning the United States was ready to impose «large sanctions» against its NATO ally.
President Donald Trump demanded Thursday that Turkey free a detained American pastor, warning the United States was ready to impose «large sanctions» against its NATO ally.
Andrew Brunson, who ran a protestant church in the Aegean city of Izmir, was detained in October 2016 on terrorism-related charges.
«He is suffering greatly,» Trump said of the 50-year-old pastor. «This innocent man of faith should be released immediately!»
Brunson was moved from jail to house arrest on Wednesday, but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the move was «not enough.»
Ankara almost immediately shot back at Trump, warning it would «never tolerate threats.»
«No-one dictates to Turkey. We will never tolerate threats from anybody. Rule of law is for everyone; no exception,» Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu wrote on Twitter.
A spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan doubled down in warning that the United States «cannot reach desired results by threatening Turkey.»
The Trump administration — which is broadly supported by powerful US evangelicals — has made defending Christians abroad a tenet of its foreign policy.
«The United States will impose large sanctions on Turkey for their long time detainment of Pastor Andrew Brunson, a great Christian, family man and wonderful human being,» Trump said.
The escalating war of words between Washington and Ankara risks worsening already poor ties, which hold enormous military and economic importance for both countries.
— ‘No credible evidence’ —
The United States has long used bases in Turkey for operations across the Middle East, but relations have been strained by Washington’s support for Kurdish fighters in Syria.
A Turkish police officer walks near the house of US Pastor Andrew Brunson in Izmir, prior to his arrival on July 25,2018
-, AFP/File
Brunson still faces up to 35 years in jail if convicted of carrying out activities on behalf of two groups Turkey deems terrorist organizations. One is led by the US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen who Ankara says was behind a 2016 failed coup, while the other is the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Barred from leaving the country, his next hearing is set for October 12.
The pastor denies the charges and his defense team argues the case is built on questionable witness statements that should never have been brought to court.
Brunson is one of tens of thousands of people detained on similar charges during the state of emergency declared by Erdogan in the wake of the 2016 failed coup bid.
The measure ended on July 18. But the Turkish parliament on Wednesday passed a new «anti-terror» law that strengthens the authorities’ powers in detaining suspects and imposing public order.
Earlier Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence said «there is no credible evidence» against Brunson.
Last week a bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill that would require the United States to reject international loans to Turkey until Brunson and other Americans are freed or the harassment against them ends.
«I find it difficult to see how this relationship moves forward… if the Turkish government continues to detain Pastor Brunson as well as locally employed staff, journalists, and civil servants,» Democratic Senator Robert Menendez said at the time.
The Turkish lira sank after Trump’s threat, compounding concerns about raising inflation and Erdogan’s stewardship of the economy.
