The United States calls on Turkey to immediately release an American Shepherd

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Andrew Brunson: Defendant, who ran a small Protestant church in Smyrna, immediately release the American pastor Andrew Brunson, detained since 2016, accused of terrorism, warning that he is ready to impose "major sanctions" against Ankara

"The United States will impose heavy sanctions against Turkey for the long time "This man of innocent faith must be released immediately!", Wrote the President on Turkey, on Twitter, a few minutes after a first threat of punitive measures launched by his Vice President Mike Pence

Turkey reacted quickly by declaring by its foreign minister that it "will not tolerate US threats."

"No one can give orders to Turkey. We will never tolerate anyone's threats, "Turkish diplomat Mevlüt Cavusoglu said on Twitter." The rule of law is valid for the whole world;

Brunson, whose case exacerbated tensions between Ankara and Washington

On Wednesday, a Turkish court ordered the house arrest of the American pastor, tried for terrorism and espionage. , has been arrested since October 2016 and a court in Izmir (western Turkey) ordered his continued detention at the last trial hearing last week.

The accused, who ran a small Protestant church in Smyrna, can be sentenced to 35 years in prison. His case was opened on April 16th.

The Turkish authorities accused him of acting on behalf of the network of preacher Fetullah Gülen, whom Ankara accuses of being the mentor of the failed coup d'état of July 2016, but also in the name of the Party.

Mike Pence warned Thursday that "if Turkey does not take immediate steps to release this man of innocent faith and send it to the people of Turkey."

Both organizations are considered terrorists by Turkey. We will import significant penalties.