US Vice President Mike Pence stated on Wednesday that “Turkey would do well not to test US President Donald Trump’s resolve to see Americans who are wrongfully imprisoned in foreign lands returned home to the United States.”
Following a Turkish court in İzmir province rejected on Wednesday an appeal for American pastor Andrew Brunson to be released from house arrest during his trial on terrorism charges, Pence stated on his official Twitter account that “Pastor Andrew Brunson is an innocent man held in Turkey & justice demands that he be released. Turkey would do well not to test @POTUS Trump’s resolve to see Americans who are wrongfully imprisoned in foreign lands returned home to the United States.”
Pence continued to state that “@POTUS and I continue to stand firm until Pastor Brunson is released and returned to his family, friends, and church in the USA. Every American should continue to pray for Pastor Andrew Brunson & his wife Noreen until this godly man of faith is home.”
Brunson’s lawyer, İsmail Cem Halavurt, filed the demand for Brunson’s release on Tuesday, around a week after his previous appeal was rejected by the Turkish court in the western province of İzmir. The 2nd Penal Court in İzmir rejected the appeal on Wednesday and sent the defendant’s petition to a higher court.
It usually takes a court between three and seven days to process an appeal, but a ruling could come sooner in this case, Brunson’s lawyer told Reuters. “A ruling can come tomorrow, or even tonight. These are appeals that require fast decision making because they are related to an individual’s freedom,” he said. A previous appeal by Halavurt on behalf of Brunson was rejected by the court.
Brunson, who has been living in Turkey for more than two decades, has been accused of helping alleged members of the Gülen movement. He has also been charged with supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The continued detention of Brunson has become a lightning rod in strained relations between Turkey and the US, leading Washington to slap economic and political sanctions on its NATO ally.
Brunson was released for house arrest on July 25. The court ordered him to wear an electronic bracelet at all times and barred him from traveling outside of the country. His next hearing as part of the trial is scheduled for Oct. 12.
The United States has warned that more economic pressure may be in store for Turkey if it refuses to release Brunson, a White House official said on Tuesday, in a dispute that has further strained relations between the NATO allies, according to a report by Reuters.
The post US VP Pence: Turkey would do well not to test Trump’s resolve on pastor Brunson appeared first on Stockholm Center for Freedom.
from Stockholm Center for Freedom https://stockholmcf.org/us-vp-pence-turkey-would-do-well-not-to-test-trumps-resolve-on-pastor-brunson/
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