Turkey denies American pastor’s release before trial

An American pastor being tried on terrorism and spying charges in Turkey will remain in jail until his trial reaches an outcome, a Turkish court ruled Wednesday.

The Associated Press reported that evangelical pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, 50, was arrested in 2016 after an attempted coup over his alleged ties to the illegal Kurdistan Workers’ Party and to a group led by U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Brunson has repeatedly denied the charges. If convicted, he could face up to 35 years in prison.

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The pastor’s case has strained tensions between Turkey and the U.S., with some lawmakers calling for measures to be taken against Turkey if he is not freed.

Trump called for Brunson’s release last year, saying he is “persecuted in Turkey for no reason.”

The pastor has been working in the country for more than two decades as the leader of the Resurrections Church.