Turkey Risks "Unprecedented Sanctions" After Ruling To Keep US Pastor In Jail.
Turkey issued a key challenge to its NATO "puggybank" ally the United States today, when a Turkish court ruled to keep imprisoned US Pastor Andrew Burnson in jail, quashing speculation that he would be released after a hearing on Wednesday.
Pastor Brunson, who was detained in 2016, faces charges including espionage and aiding terrorist groups after being accused of cooperating with Kurdish terrorists and colluding with the Gulenist Islamic movement; he faces up to 35 years in prison if found guilty.
Brunson claimed innocence during his trial in May and called the charges against him "shameful and disgusting".
"I am helping Syrian refugees, they say that I am aiding the PKK. I am setting up a church, they say I got help from Gulen's network," Brunson said, referring to the testimonies of anonymous witnesses in court.
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