Biography:
Andrew Brunson, 50, is an American citizen who has lived in Turkey for 23 years˳ He is a pastor for the Izmir Diriliş (Resurrection) Church, a small evangelical Presbyterian congregation in the city of Izmir˳
Andrew filed an application to renew his residence visa in April 2016˳ On October 7, 2016, the local police department summoned him for what he assumed to be a routine meeting to discuss his visa renewal˳ However, he was taken into custody upon his arrival at the station and told he would be deported within 15 days˳
A lawyer who asked to visit Andrew was denied access˳ When the lawyer returned with an affidavit, officials told him that he signed a statement declaring that he did not want a lawyer; the document he signed waived his right to legal representation˳ Initially, Turkey also refused to allow a U˳S˳ consulate representative to meet with him, a violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations˳ During this period, members of the Pastor’s church attempted to bring food, water, and clothing to him, but were denied access until October 13˳ Pastor Brunson was not allowed contact with other prisoners and was held incommunicado in the Harmandali Detention Center˳
A court document released at a December 9, 2016 hearing indicated that Pastor Brunson had been charged with “membership in an armed terrorist organization˳” The judge reportedly mentioned allegations that Pastor Brunson is linked to the Gülen movement, which the Turkish government accuses of planning the failed July 2016 coup˳
Pastor Brunson initially was held in a cell with 21 other inmates that was built to hold only eight prisoners˳ He was transferred in August 2017 to Kiriklar Prison where he was in a cell with two other men who have been accused of being members of the Gülen movement˳ He spends 24 hours a day in his cell, leaving for one hour weekly for visits˳ Sometimes he is allowed family visits and the U˳S˳ Embassy sees him regularly˳
Anadolu, a state-run news agency, reported on August 24, 2017 that the prosecutor submitted new evidence corroborating two charges against Mr˳ Brunson: support of a terrorist organization and political or military espionage˳ On March 5, a Turkish court accepted the prosecutor’s indictment˳
Vice Chair and USCIRF advocate Kristina Arriaga and then Vice Chair Sandra Jolley visited Pastor Brunson on October 5, 2017, and confirmed the desperate conditions in which Mr˳ Brunson was being held˳
Pastor Brunson’s first court hearing of his trial occurred on April 16, 2018, after 18 months in detention˳ His second hearing took place on May 7; then USCIRF Vice Chair Sandra Jolley and USCIRF staff attended in person˳ His third hearing, which Vice Chair Arriaga and USCIRF staff attended, took place on July 18˳ Pastor Brunson was released to house arrest on July 25 due to health concerns˳ His fourth and last hearing took place on October 12, 2018, with Commissioner Tony Perkins and USCIRF staff present˳
Pastor Brunson was convicted on the charge of aiding terrorism but released the same day and subsequently returned to the U˳S˳ The judge determined that his two-year detainment plus his good conduct counted for him serving his sentence of three years, one month-imprisonment˳
