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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said it was not up to him to decide the freedom of Pastor Andrew Brunson, an evangelical American Christian detained in the country for terrorism charges since 2016.
Brunson has lived in Turkey for more than two decades and is a pastor at the Izmir Diriliş (Resurrection) Church in Izmir.
Erdogan's remarks are a reprimand to state secretary Mike Pompeo, who had suggested that Brunson, 50, could be released from the Turkish jail a few days ago.
The US government says that Brunson is detained on secret evidence by a secret witness and that he does not receive a proper trial.
Turkish authorities accuse Brunson of being involved in a movement led by religious Fethullah Gulen, who lives in exile in the United States.
Turkey wants Gulen to be extradited, accusing him of staging a failed coup against Erdogan in July 2016. Gulen denies this accusation.
Brunson is considered by the US government and human rights groups as a pawn in the diplomatic war between Turkey and Washington.
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He faces life imprisonment if convicted of terrorism charges against him. Currently, he is under house arrest.
"This is a judicial question. Brunson was arrested on charges of terrorism, "Erdogan told Reuters at the US General Assembly in New York.
"On October 12, there will be another hearing and we do not know what the court will decide and the politicians will not have a voice." As president, I do not have the right to 39, order his release Our judicial system is independent Let's wait and see what the court decides. "
According to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, Brunson applied for a renewal of his residency visa in April 2016. In October of the same year, when he was invited to the local police station, he assumed it would be to discuss of his visa.
But he was detained and threatened with deportation, the beginning of a trial that lasted nearly two years.
The United States accuses Turkey of denying access to a lawyer or meeting with a representative of the consulate and keeping him in a small cell with 21 other detainees 24 hours a day.
A spokesman for the State Department said Newsweek the US government is closely following Brunson's case and is now supporting him with consular services.
They said that the highest levels of the administration were involved in the case of Brunson and other US citizens and local employees of the US mission in Turkey, detained on the basis of inconclusive evidence in the state of emergency .
The position of the US government is that business is dragging on and their quick resolution is key to improving tense bilateral relations with Turkey.
In addition to the Gulen conflict, Washington and Turkey are engaged in a trade war, one of many launched by President Donald Trump.
The Turkish lira has collapsed against the dollar and the economy is struggling.
Trump recently doubled US tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminum. Turkey responded with levies on US products, including cars and tobacco.
President Trump personally took the situation of Brunson.
In April, Trump tweeted that Brunson was "persecuted" by Turkey "for no reason". In July, he accused Turkey of holding Brunson "hostage".
Later in the month, Trump threatened Turkey with a tweet"The United States will impose heavy sanctions on Turkey for the long-term detention of Pastor Andrew Brunson, a great Christian, father and wonderful human being. He is suffering a lot. This innocent man of faith should be released immediately!
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This article has been updated with comments from the State Department.
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