Bipartisan Group of 66 Senators Send Letter to President Erdogan Demanding Release of Pastor Andrew Brunson | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    WASHINGTON, D.C.     Today, a bipartisan group of 66 senators, led by Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), sent a letter to the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, demanding the release of wrongfully imprisoned American Pastor Andrew Brunson.

    Pastor Brunson has been imprisoned in Turkey since October 7, 2016. Last month, he was indicted on bogus charges related to terrorism and espionage, and faces up to 35 years in prison. In the letter to President Erdogan, the Senators noted that the indictment "is an absurd collection of anonymous accusations, flights of fantasy, and random character assassination...It is an insult not only to an unjustly imprisoned individual, but to the traditions of Turkish jurisprudence."

    The senators also warned that measures may be necessary "to ensure that the Government of Turkey respects the right of law-abiding citizens and employees of the United States to travel to, reside in, and work in Turkey without fear of persecution."

    Pastor Brunson's trial began on April 16 in Izmir, Turkey, and was attended by Senator Tillis and Sam Brownback, the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. The Turkish Court postponed the next hearing until May 7, ordering Pastor Brunson to remain in prison.

    In addition to Senators Tillis and Shaheen, the letter was signed by Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Boozman (R-AR), Richard Burr (R-NC), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Cornyn (R-TX), Bob Corker (R-TN), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Dean Heller (R-NV), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Doug Jones (D-AL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Kennedy (R-LA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), James Lankford (R-OK), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Bill Nelson (D-FL), David Perdue (R-GA), Rob Portman (R-OH), Jim Risch (R-ID), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Tim Scott (R-SC), Richard Shelby (R-AL), Tina Smith (D-MN), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Jon Tester (D-MT), John Thune (R-ND), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Todd Young (R-IN).

    The full text of the letter is below, which can also be viewed here.

• Contact: Daniel Keylin
•     daniel_keylin@tillis.senate.gov