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Turkish Court Rules Against US Pastor's Release

by Dorian Jones

   ISTANBUL --

   A Turkish court has ordered U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson to remain in
   jail on terror charges. The ruling came in the face of intense lobbying
   by Washington for the pastor's release and is likely to ratchet up
   bilateral tensions between the NATO allies.

   The judge ruled the next hearing in the case would be on October 12.
   Brunson, waving to supporters, said only thank you. It is the third
   time the court has rejected his plea for release. Brunson has been held
   for nearly two years.

   Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, Philip Kosnett, U.S.
   charge d'affaires in Turkey, expressed disappointment with the
   decision.

   "I've read the indictment; I've attended three hearings. I don't
   believe that there is any indication that Pastor Brunson is guilty of
   any sort of criminal or terrorist activity. Our government remains
   deeply concerned about his status, as well as the status of other
   American citizens and local Turkish employees of the U.S. diplomatic
   mission who have been detained under the state of emergency rules."

   Kosnett, speaking before the court decision, had warned of the damaging
   effect of the case on U.S.-Turkish relations.

   Brunson faces up to 35 years behind bars for supporting followers of
   U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, blamed for a 2016 failed
   coup. Gulen has denied any role in the attempted coup. Additionally,
   Brunson is accused of assisting the outlawed Kurdish insurgent group
   the PKK.

   The 50-year-old Brunson has lived in Turkey for more than two decades.
   The North Carolina native worked as a pastor serving a small Protestant
   congregation in the western Turkish City of Izmir, close to the town of
   Aliaga where he is now on trial. Brunson has spent much of his
   incarceration in solitary confinement. Brunson describes the charges
   against him as "shameful and disgusting." Ahead of Wednesday's hearing,
   Brunson's lawyer, Ismail Cem Halavurt, had expressed tentative hopes of
   his client's release with the prosecution presenting its final
   witnesses. "We have been saying that he must be released under the law
   since day one," Halavurt said. We expect him to be released following
   the completion of the evidence collection."

   Washington has intensely lobbied Ankara for Brunson's freedom. U.S.
   President Donald Trump reportedly raised the pastor's case in a
   telephone call Monday with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip
   Erdogan. Trump had earlier dismissed the lawsuit. "They call him a spy,
   but I am more a spy than he is," tweeted Trump.

   Last month, U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Jeanne Shaheen also
   pressed for Brunson's release in a meeting with Erdogan in Ankara.

   The U.S. Congress is threatening to introduce sanctions on Turkey if
   the pastor is not released.

   Several members of Congress have accused Turkey of hostage taking by
   seeking to use Brunson as diplomatic leverage. Adding to Congress's
   anger, three local employees of U.S. diplomatic missions in Turkey are
   also being held on terrorism charges. Ankara strongly denies
   allegations of hostage taking, maintaining that the cases are a matter
   for the courts.

   Observers warn the continued detention of Brunson now increases the
   likelihood of Washington imposing measures against Ankara.

   "It's (the Brunson case) very important because it's already an
   obstacle and sticking point between the countries, having prompted the
   discussion about sanctions against Turkey," political columnist Semih
   Idiz of Al-Monitor said. "Senators are coming to Turkey and Trump
   referring to Brunson as a hostage. Tensions will increase, calls for
   sanctions against Turkey will increase, and the downward spiral in
   relations will continue (if the trial continues)."

   The blocking of the U.S. sale to Turkey of a new F-35 fighter is a move
   that has been threatened by Congress.

   Turkish financial markets fell heavily on the news of Brunson's ongoing
   detention. The falls reversed earlier gains stoked by the expectation
   of the pastor's release and the hope of improved U.S.-Turkish
   relations.

   Erdogan and his advisers have linked the Brunson case to calls to
   extradite Gulen in connection with the 2016 coup attempt. Turkish
   Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Sunday U.S. authorities were
   cooperating in investigating Gulen and his followers. Observers,
   however, say the detention of Brunson suggests Ankara could be looking
   for more concessions from Washington.

   Erdogan could release Brunson under the presidential power to free
   jailed foreign citizens if it is deemed to be in the country's national
   interest.

   The ongoing jailing of Brunson comes as analysts point out the two
   countries were making tentative progress on a number of disputes. In
   the past few months, there have been intense diplomatic efforts to
   resolve differences over Syria and Ankara's controversial purchase of a
   Russian S-400 missile system. Observers warn if Congress carries out
   its threat to sanction Turkey over Brunson's jailing, it will likely
   add to broader diplomatic tensions.