When Pastor Andrew Brunson was arrested in Turkey in 2016, his name became a household word as news agencies the world over carried the story that an American pastor had been arrested on dubious charges after living in Turkey for more than two decades.
Unfortunately, the headline-grabbing news soon disappeared and Pastor Brunson remains incarcerated. His fate is uncertain as it is not clear what he is charged with, when he will be given a trial or even if he is being used as a hostage by the Turkish government.
On October 7, 2016, Pastor Andrew Brunson and his wife Norine were arrested while applying for Turkish permanent residency. Norine Brunson was released after 13 days but Pastor Brunson remains in a cell with 17 other prisoners. The Turkish government has charged him with being a member of a terrorist organization, spying and attempting to overthrow the government.
The evidence behind these charges is based on accounts from witnesses who have refused to be named. One individual has allegedly claimed that Pastor Brunson attended an event organized by an organization that works with Fethullah Gulen, a former Turkish cleric who was once close to the Erdogan administration but is now viewed as its primary enemy. Another person has claimed that Pastor Brunson spoke positively about the PKK while delivering aid to Syrian refuges. Pro-government newspapers have proclaimed that Pastor Brunson is not only a ranking member of the Gulen movement but also a CIA agent.
The fact that Pastor Andrew Brunson is being held on false charges and denied basic legal rights is beyond dispute. While his work has put him in contact with people from a wide variety of political backgrounds, he is not a terrorist or a CIA spy who was seeking to destabilize the Turkish government.
Given the fact that Turkey is a NATO member and ally of the United States, it would seem that it would be easy to work out some way to have these false charges dropped almost immediately. Unfortunately, this is not the case as the current state of affairs in the country and its relations with the United States have only contributed to Pastor Brunson’s prolonged prison stay.
President Erdogan is furious that the United States has so far refused to extradite Fethullah Gulen on charges related to the attempted coup that took place about a year and a half ago. Additionally, the Turkish government is unhappy that the United States is working with the PKK to combat ISIS in Syria. Another political problem is the fact that Turkish Halkbank executive Hakan Atilla was found guilty in a U.S. court for breaking U.S. sanctions on Iran.
However, it is the case surrounding Fethullah Gulen that is commonly seen as the main reason that Pastor Brunson is still behind bars. The Turkish government has openly declared that it is willing to swap the American pastor for Fethullah Gulen.
Last year, President Erdogan made it clear that he would have the judiciary try Pastor Brunson and send him back to the U.S. if the U.S. would turn Gulen over to the Turkish government. The Turkish president underscored his earlier offer this year by stating that he will not send any American prisoner back to the United States until the U.S. sends Fethullah Gulen back to Turkey. While Brunson was not mentioned by name, it is clear that the president was essentially calling him and every other American imprisoned in the country a terrorist even though Pastor Brunson has not been brought to court for a trial much less convicted of any charges.
Norine Brunson has been able to visit her husband periodically, as have other concerned Christian organizations. They report that he has lost a great deal of weight and is worried that his plight will be forgotten as politicians in the United States turn their concern to other matters. Additionally, his wife notes that he is often cold in his small cell and that his many cellmates, all devoted Muslims, are eagerly attempting to convert him to Islam.
Thankfully, Pastor Brunson has not been forgotten as he sometimes fears. Christians in Turkey and the United States alike are praying that God will intervene in what seems like an impossible situation so that Pastor Andrew Brunson can return home at the earliest opportunity. Those who know Pastor Brunson and are working towards his release call on believers everywhere to continue praying both for Pastor Brunson and those who are working to free him.
~ Christian Patriot Daily
