US pastor Andrew Brunson to be moved from prison to house arrest, but can’t leave Turkey
World Watch Monitor The US pastor Andrew Brunson is being moved from Kiriklar prison to house arrest in Turkey after a court ruling on Wednesday, a leader of the Turkish Protestant Church has confirmed direct to World Watch Monitor. The same source confirmed that Brunson’s wife is on her way to the prison to meet […]
Hopes dashed for release of pastor Andrew Brunson as Turkish trial to continue in October
World Watch Monitor Hopes were dashed for the imminent release of an American pastor jailed in Turkey on terrorism charges as a Turkish court on Wednesday ordered him to remain behind bars. The court scheduled Andrew Brunson’s next hearing for 12th October. Pastor Andrew Brunson, pictured in January. Some observers had believed that Turkey might […]
US ups the ante over Pastor Brunson’s detention
World Watch Monitor The American Charge d’Affaires in Ankara has said that Turkey’s continued detention of pastor Andrew Brunson on spying and terrorism-related charges is impeding US-Turkish relations. Philip Kosnett said there is a “strong sense of unity in Congress between Republicans and Democrats” on the need for Brunson to be released and “a similar […]
Turkey returns confiscated Syriac church property deeds
World Watch Monitor Syriac Orthodox Christians have welcomed the Turkish government’s return of 55 title deeds, representing nearly half of their ancient church properties in southeast Turkey, which had been confiscated by the state in recent years. Fifty of the official property deeds were delivered to the Syriacs’ 4th century Mor Gabriel Monastery near Midyat, […]
Date set for trial of US pastor Andrew Brunson in Turkey
World Watch Monitor Imprisoned US pastor Andrew Brunson is set to stand trial before a Turkish criminal court on 16 April on espionage and terrorism-related charges that could jail him for up to 35 years. Seventeen months after the pastor’s arrest in the port city of Izmir, a formal indictment accepted by the Izmir 2nd […]
Syria church leader condemns Turkey’s ‘unjustified aggression’
World Watch Monitor A senior church leader in Syria has condemned Turkey’s new military offensive as “unjustified aggression” and urged the international community to exert “maximum pressure” to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. Rev Abdalla Homsi, of the Evangelical Christian Alliance Church of Aleppo, issued a statement as an estimated 5,000 people were reported to have fled […]
Jailed US pastor still refused ‘due process’ in Turkey
World Watch Monitor As indicated in his only photograph from his imprisonment, Andrew Brunson has lost more than 20 kilograms, becoming a pale, slender version of himself. PICTURE: World Witness As a high-level US delegation arrived in the Turkish capital on Tuesday, in an effort to resolve high-level tensions between the two NATO allies, discussions […]
Syrian church in Turkish-hit enclave calls for aid
World Watch Monitor A church in a Syrian province under fire from Turkish troops has issued a plea for protection from the international community. Pastor Valentin Hanan of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Afrin, north-western Syria, wrote in an email to his supporters on Sunday: “We are at this moment under heavy shelling, […]