Freedom again denied for American preacher jailed in Turkey

LA Times - Despite dire warnings from Washington, a Turkish court on Tuesday refused to release an American Protestant minister who has been detained there on charges related to a failed coup two years ago.

Andrew Brunson of Black Mountain, N.C., spent nearly 21 months in a Turkish jail on charges that his supporters contend are fabricated. Last week, under U.S. pressure, he was released to house arrest.

But a court Tuesday denied Brunson’s appeal to be freed and have a travel ban against him lifted, according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency.

Brunson had worked in Turkey for two decades before he was swept up in mass arrests after renegade members of the Turkish military attempted to oust the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Tens of thousands of teachers, politicians, police officers, journalists and others were arrested or fired from their jobs in retaliation.

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