ICC Note: Shortly following Pastor Andrew Brunson’s trial, Turkish President Erdogan gave a live interviewing confirming that Brunson is being used as a political hostage. The trial occurred over 500 days after Brunson’s arrest, and is currently scheduled to continue on May 7^th.  He is being held on false charges of terrorism and espionage, which are based on the testimony of secret witnesses. There is concern that Erdogan’s live interview may further negatively impact the outcome of Brunson’s trial in May.   

04/24/2018 Turkey (Mission Network News) –  If there was any question about whether or not American Pastor Andrew Brunson is still being used as a political hostage in Turkey, there is no doubt about it now.

Brunson served as a pastor in Turkey for 23 years until he was arrested a year and a half ago on false charges of terrorism and espionage.

On April 21, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a live interview that if the United States government wants Brunson to be released, they must extradite Fethullah Gulen and hand him over to Turkey. Gulen is a Muslim cleric residing in the United States whom the Turkish government believes orchestrated the failed 2016 coup.

Erdogan declared, “The US is behind [Gulen]…. If you want Brunson, look at the steps you have taken in the past. Why don’t you deport this man in accordance with the extradition treaty?”

This isn’t the first time Erdogan has connected Brunson and Gulen. But the US is not interested in a hostage swap. And it seems Erdogan is not in any hurry to lose his Brunson bargaining chip.

Open Doors USA’s President and CEO David Curry says, “[Erdogan] is using this need to have revenge on a political rival as a reason to hold hostage Pastor Brunson in Turkey…. It’s really had a chilling effect on this case with Pastor Brunson because he is essentially an innocent person who has been arrested, we believe, for his faith. He’s obviously not a political actor in any way. So we’re at a bit of a stalemate if this is truly going to be [Erdogan’s] position.”

A question many people have asked in Brunson’s case is, why him?

Curry explains, “A lot of times when we see the rise of religious persecution through the lens of nationalism like we’re seeing here in Turkey, people will say any American who is a Christian is a foreign agent and they will use that as a leaping-off point to make whatever case they choose to make.

“I think people need to understand that Christianity is a spiritual movement. It’s not about Americanism, it’s not about the ideals of the West, it’s not a Western idea, as much as it may have popularity here in the States or the West.

“But people like Erdogan and others are trying to make that case. But [Brunson] is clearly not a political actor, a spy, any of these kinds of things. He is a pastor who has worked in Turkey for many, many years and clearly loves the people there.”

Brunson’s first court hearing was on April 16 and his next hearing is scheduled for May 7. Curry says these latest remarks from Erdogan could definitely affect Brunson’s trial.

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