ANKARA, Turkey — The lawyer for an American pastor at the centre of a spat between NATO allies Turkey and the United States petitioned Turkey’s highest court on Wednesday seeking his release from house arrest. Andrew Craig Brunson, 50, who has lived in Turkey for more than two decades, was arrested in December 2016 on espionage and terror-related charges. Amid the conflict, Trump in August doubled tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminum imports, which helped deepen a Turkish currency crisis. Turkey’s government has repeatedly called on Washington to respect Turkey’s judicial process. “There is no possibility for the defendant destroying evidence.”It could take the constitutional Court several months to reach a decision on the case.

Source: National Post October 03, 2018 07:50 UTC