Turkey Piles Additional Charges against Imprisoned Pastor

JERUSALEM, Israel – The Turkish government added four more charges against imprisoned American Pastor Andrew Brunson, who has been held in Turkey for nearly a year.
 
Pastor Brunson, 48, now faces additional charges of espionage, acquiring secret political and military information, attempting to destroy constitutional order and overthrowing the Turkish parliament, in addition to alleged "membership in an armed terroristic organization," the Wall Street Journal reported.
 
Brunson and his wife, Norine, who have lived in Turkey since 1993 and raised three children there, serve a small Presbyterian church in the coastal city of Izmir.
 
The government initially arrested both the pastor and his wife on October 6, releasing her but keeping him incarcerated.
 
Despite personal requests from President Trump and Vice President Pence, the government has refused to release him, instead piling up more charges.
 
Jay Sekulow, chief counsel with the American Center for Law and Justice representing Brunson, told WSJ the charges are "absolutely false.