Washington DC, Jul 18 (EFE).- The president of the United States Wednesday urged his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to release a US Protestant pastor accused of terrorism activities in the country.
“A total disgrace that Turkey will not release a respected U.S. Pastor, Andrew Brunson, from prison. He has been held hostage far too long. @RT_Erdogan should do something to free this wonderful Christian husband & father. He has done nothing wrong, and his family needs him!” Donald Trump tweeted.
Trump’s petition comes the same day as a Turkish court’s decision that Brunson remain in custody.
The Turkish prosecution has demanded 35 years’ imprisonment for Brunson for association with terrorist groups.
Brunson was accused of having connections with a movement led by cleric Fethullah Gülen – who Turkey accuses of instigating the failed coup of 2016 and is living in exile in the US – as well as having links to the banned Kurdish Workers’ Party. He denies the charges.
Erdogan has spoken on a possibility of exchanging a pastor for another in relation to Güülen’s extradition request filed by Turkey.