Two-thirds of US Senate pushes Turkey to release pastor
Sixty-six US senators signed a letter released on Friday urging Turkey President Tayyip Erdogan to release an American pastor on trial in Turkey on charges he was linked to a group accused of orchestrating a failed military coup.
Andrew Brunson, a Christian pastor who has lived in Turkey for more than two decades, was indicted on charges of helping the group that Ankara holds responsible for a failed 2016 coup against President Tayyip Erdogan. He faces up to 35 years in prison.
The letter, led by Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who represents Brunson's home state North Carolina, and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, said the Senate backs efforts to strengthen cooperation between US and Turkish law enforcement.
