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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened with slap "broad sanctions" on Turkey unless Ankara freed an American pastor with further strained relations between NATO allies.
FILE PHOTO: US Vice President Mike Pence visits the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) and gives remarks at their headquarters in Washington, US, July 6, 2018. REUTERS / Leah Millis
The Trump Administration escalated its pressure After a 21-month-old prisoner in prison, Andrew Brunson was arrested. He is on trial for terrorism charges.
"The United States will impose wide penalties on pastor Andrew Brunson, a great Christian, a wonderful man," Trump wrote in a tweet.
"He is suffering greatly. This innocent man of faith should be released immediately! "
Shortly before, Vice President Mike Pence, has become Christian, leveled a similar threat directly to Turkey's president.
"To President (Tayyip) Erdogan and the Turkish Government, Pastor Andrew Brunson, President of the United States of America:" Pence said at a religious Freedom event hosted by the US State Department.
The threat of sanctions prompted a downturn in Turkey's financial markets.
The lira currency briefly weakened to 4.89 to the dollar following reports of Pence's comments, but recovered later at 4.8420 at 11:01 a.m. EDT (1501 GMT). The Istanbul fellowship fell as much as 1.75 percent, before picking up slightly.
Brunson, who is from North Carolina and has worked in Turkey for more than 20 years, has been accused of helping the group. Ankara says was behind a failed military coup in 2016. The pastor, who has denied the charges, faces up to 35 years in jail if found guilty.
Brunson's detention deepened to rift between Washington and Ankara, which are also at odds over the Syrian war and Turkey's plan to buy missile defenses from Russia.
On Wednesday, Brunson was escorted out of prison in the coastal city of Izmir, and left in a convoy of cars. His lawyer said he was instructed to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.
U.S. and Turkish officials had been working on a deal that would lead to Brunson's release, and Washington's latest news, a source told Reuters on Wednesday.
U.S. It was said that the issue was not released, the source said, adding that it was not released, and that it was not released.
Addressing Brunson's daughter in the audience, Pence said: "I promise you, have I told you my father's day, President Trump and I will continue to be a family member. United States of America. "
The Christian Right, an important component of Trump and Pence's voting base, has been pressuring the administration on the Brunson case.
Additional reporting by Tim Ahmann and Dominic Evans; Writing by Susan Heavey and Mary Milliken; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jonathan Oatis
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