American Pastor Released Following New Court Ruling in Turkey

With the issuance of a new court ruling in Turkey, Andrew Brunson, an American pastor who had been imprisoned in the country for two years, was released and reportedly returned to his home in Izmir. Mr. Brunson, who has lived in Turkey for about twenty years, was arrested following the failed coup two years ago and was accused of 'espionage' and links to the Fethullah Gülen network. However, a court in Izmir on Friday issued a new ruling, sentencing the American pastor to three years in prison but noting that considering his two years of imprisonment and subsequent house arrest, 'his sentence has been served,' and the court ordered the end of his house arrest and the lifting of his travel ban from Turkey. Donald Trump, the President of the United States, initially tweeted on Friday evening that intensive work was underway for Brunson's release. He then announced in another tweet the pastor's release: CNN reported, citing a White House official, that Pastor Brunson would soon be flown out of Turkey on a military plane and would head to the United States after a brief stop in Germany. After his release, Mr. Brunson stated, 'Today is a day my family has prayed for; I am happy to be heading to my homeland, the United States.' This American pastor also expressed gratitude to 'the millions of people around the world who prayed.' His arrest exacerbated tensions between the United States and Turkey, leading Washington to impose sanctions and increase tariffs on imported goods from Turkey.