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Andrew Brunson: Turkey to release US pastor Brunson

A court in Turkey has freed a US pastor from house arrest in a case that badly strained ties between the US and Turkey.

Andrew Brunson was arrested over alleged links to political groups, including the banned Gulenist movement, following the failed 2016 coup attempt.

The court convicted him of terror charges and sentenced him to jail but he will not serve time.

He denied charges of espionage, which could have led to a 35-year jail term.

The pastor is a long-term resident in Turkey. He lived with his wife and three children while working for the small Izmir Resurrection Church, which had a congregation of about two dozen.

The authorities accuse him of having links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Gulenist movement, which Turkey blames for the 2016 failed coup.

A court in Turkey has freed a US pastor from house arrest in a case that badly strained ties between the US and Turkey.

Andrew Brunson was arrested over alleged links to political groups, including the banned Gulenist movement, following the failed 2016 coup attempt.

The court convicted him of terror charges and sentenced him to jail but he will not serve time.

He denied charges of espionage, which could have led to a 35-year jail term.

The pastor is a long-term resident in Turkey. He lived with his wife and three children while working for the small Izmir Resurrection Church, which had a congregation of about two dozen.

The authorities accuse him of having links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Gulenist movement, which Turkey blames for the 2016 failed coup.

BBC

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