WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump says the United States will imposesanctions on NATO ally Turkey over a detained American pastor held onterror and espionage charges.
Shortly after the possibility of sanctions was first announced by VicePresident Mike Pence Thursday, Trump wrote on Twitter that the U.S. “willimpose large sanctions on Turkey for their long time detainment of PastorAndrew Brunson.”
“He is suffering greatly. This innocent man of faith should be releasedimmediately!” the president added from aboard Air Force One as he flew toIowa for an event.
Pence’s initial announcement of possible sanctions came at the close of athree-day conference on religious freedom.
Brunson, 50, an evangelical Christian pastor originally from NorthCarolina, was let out of jail Wednesday, after 1 1/2 years, to serve housearrest because of “health problems,” according to Turkey’s official Anadolunews agency.
“Brunson is an innocent man, there is no credible evidence against him,”Pence said.
Trump has repeatedly demanded Brunson’s release and said on Twitter lastweek that the pastor’s detention was “a total disgrace.” One of Brunson’sattorneys is Jay Sekulow, who also represents Trump in the Russiainvestigation.
If convicted, Brunson pastor faces up to 15 years in prison for “committingcrimes on behalf of terror groups without being a member,” references tooutlawed Kurdish militants and the network of a U.S-based Muslim clericblamed for a failed coup attempt. He could receive another 20 years if heis found guilty of espionage.