US sanctions 2 Turkish officials over detention of American pastor

Sanctions have been imposed on two Turkish officials by Washington over the detention of an American pastor identified as Andrew Brunson by the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

According to White House spokeswomanSarah Huckabee Sanders, the Trump administration would sanction Turkey’s minister of justice and minister of interior over the holding of 50-year-old pastor.

Brunson, a Christian pastor from North Carolina who has lived in Turkey for more than two decades was detained by a court in Turkey on charges bordering on spying and terrorism and now faces up to 35 years in jail if found guilty.

“It is really hard to stay in jail and be separated from my wife and children,” Brunson, wearing a black suit and a white shirt, told the court in Turkish.

“There is no concrete evidence against me. The disciples of Jesus suffered in his name, now it is my turn. I am an innocent man on all these charges. I reject them. I know why I am here. I am here to suffer in Jesus’s name.”

The clergy who denies the charges, was indicted for helping the group that Ankara blames for a failed 2016 coup against President Tayyip Erdogan, as well as supporting outlawed PKK Kurdish militants.