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ALIAGA, Turkey – The latest trial of US pastor Andrew Brunson, accused of espionage and terrorism (all local times):
8:50 p.m.
Members of the Christ Community Church in Montreat, North Carolina, are delighted by the release of Evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson from Turkey.
A Turkish court on Friday sentenced Brunson for terrorism-related charges, but released him from his home detention and allowed him to leave Turkey. The decision is expected to ease tensions between the United States and Turkey.
Debi Forester, the church's director of communications, says Reverend Richard White spent a day or two with the Brunson family in Turkey. The US Consulate is in charge of Brunson's travel arrangements for his return to the United States.
She quotes White, saying the group "was screaming only" Hallelujah! And was doing the happy dance. "She says the church will be hosting a welcome party at Brunson's.
US pastor Andrew Brunson, left front, arrives at home after his release, at the end of his trial in Izmir, Turkey on Friday, October 12, 2018, a Turkish court sentenced a pastor on Friday American for terrorism, but released him from house arrest allowed him to leave Turkey, in a move likely to ease tensions between Turkey and the United States. (Emre Tazegul / Associate Press)
The court sentenced Brunson to just over three years in prison, but since he is 50 years old and originally from North Carolina for already two years, he will not serve more time.
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8:15 p.m.
The fiancee of a missing Saudi journalist asks US President Donald Trump to exert his influence over what happened to his partner, after tweeting about the release of an American pastor in Turkey.
Following the Turkish court's decision to release the evangelical pastor, Trump tweeted: "Work very hard for Pastor (Andrew) Brunson!"
This prompted Hatice Cengiz to ask questions about her missing fiancé, Jamal Khashoggi, a writer who had criticized Saudi leaders.
"And Jamal Khashoggi?" She tweeted.
Khashoggi disappeared last week after entering the consulate in Istanbul to obtain the necessary documents to get married.
Trump said Thursday that relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia were "excellent" and that he did not want to hand over extremely lucrative arm deals with Riyadh.
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7:20 p.m.
Turkey rejected President Donald Trump's claim that US pressure would have contributed to the release of the house arrest of US pastor Andrew Brunson.
Fahrettin Altun, director of communications for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, objected to Trump's comments in a tweet that the United States had worked "very hard" on the pastor's case.
Altun insisted that the Turkish courts were independent of the government and impartial: "We would like to remind him once again that Turkey is a democratic country with the rule of law and that the Turkish courts are independent".
The official added: "No organ, authority, office or person can issue orders or instructions to courts or judges in the exercise of their powers."
Brunson, 50, had spent two years in detention. Although he was found guilty of acts of terrorism by a Turkish court, he was released from house arrest and allowed to leave Turkey. His lawyer said he should return to the United States.
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5:45 p.m.
US President Donald Trump celebrates the release of an American pastor who was on trial in Turkey, saying he would soon be back in the United States.
A Turkish court on Friday sentenced Andrew Brunson for terrorism, but released him from his home detention and allowed him to leave Turkey. The decision is expected to ease tensions between the United States and Turkey.
The court sentenced Brunson to just over three years in prison, but since the 50-year-old Evangelical pastor from North Carolina has already spent two years in detention, he will not be serving any more time.
In an all-caps tweet Friday, Trump said, "PASTOR BRUNSON JUST RELEASED. WILL BE SOON AT HOME!
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5:20 p.m.
US President Donald Trump says he hopes to soon have US evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson in the United States.
Brunson is a 50-year-old American pastor who was convicted Friday by a Turkish court of terrorism-related charges, but was released from house arrest and allowed to leave Turkey. This decision is likely to ease tensions between the two NATO allies.
Shortly after the announcement of the verdict, Trump tweeted: "Work very hard for Pastor Brunson!"
Trump also tweeted, "My thoughts and prayers go to Pastor Brunson, and we hope to see him again soon at home!"
The pastor is from North Carolina, but has been living in Turkey for more than two decades and has been imprisoned for two years. He is one of the thousands of people implicated in the crackdown by the Turkish government following the failed coup of 2016 against the Turkish government.
Prosecutors accused Brunson of committing crimes on behalf of terrorist groups. He denied all the accusations.
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4:45 p.m.
A Turkish court sentenced a US pastor to the center of a US-Turkish diplomatic dispute, but released him from his home detention and allowed him to leave Turkey.
The court near the city of Izmir, in the west of the country, on Friday sentenced Andrew Brunson to three years and one month in prison, but for two years in prison, the evangelical pastor has not passed any more of time in prison.
Brunson, 50, had rejected accusations related to espionage and terror and had firmly maintained his innocence.
Ismail lawyer Cem Halavurt said that Brunson was to leave Turkey for the United States
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4:05 p.m.
A Turkish prosecutor has asked that a US pastor at the center of a diplomatic dispute between Turkey and the United States be placed under house arrest pending the outcome of his trial.
At the fourth hearing in the case against Andrew Brunson, however, the prosecutor also recommended that he be found guilty of acts related to terrorism.
A panel of judges is expected to reach a provisional decision later on Friday.
Brunson, 50, is charged with terrorism and espionage. He rejects the charges and firmly maintains his innocence.
The pastor told the court that he was "an innocent man. I love Jesus, I love Turkey. "
The United States has repeatedly called for his release.
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8:35
The trial of a US pastor at the heart of a diplomatic dispute between Turkey and the United States resumed Friday in Turkey. Observers are waiting to see if the authorities will free him under the risk of new US sanctions.
The fourth hearing of the case against Andrew Brunson began in a penitentiary complex located near the city of Izmir, in the west of the country, before noon, a few hours after arriving in a secure convoy before dawn.
The evangelical pastor is accused of espionage and acts of terrorism, punishable by up to 35 years in prison if convicted.
Brunson, 50, who has been living in Turkey for more than two decades, rejects the charges and maintains his innocence. He is one of the thousands of people involved in the large-scale government crackdown that followed a failed coup d'état against the Turkish government in July 2016.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, disseminated, rewritten or redistributed.
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