WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) took to the Senate floor to speak on Pastor Andrew Brunson, who has been wrongfully imprisoned by the Turkish Government since October 7, 2016.On Monday, Pastor Brunson’s second trial hearing in Turkey resulted in a postponement, with the next hearing to be held on July 18.
Last month, Pastor Brunson was indicted on bogus charges related to terrorism and espionage, and faces up to 35 years in prison. Senator Tillis has visited Pastor Brunson in Turkey twice, including attending his trial on April 16th. Tillis recently led a bipartisan letter signed by 66 Senators to President Erdogan calling for his release and introduced bipartisan legislation with Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) to prevent the transfer of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft to Turkey. Click HERE to watch the speech.
Tillis on the U.S. – Turkey Relationship:
“I’d like to be talking about how we help Turkey take the fight to the terrorist organizations that are threatening their homeland. I’d like to work more with Turkey to identify ISIS leaders, detain them, and make that region safer. I’d like to be in the Senate Armed Services Committee fighting for additional NDAA provisions that underscore our commitment to Turkey, but now I am at a fork in the road.
“Right now I’ve only got one position to take. That is to put Turkey on notice for their bad actions as a NATO ally and for their bad actions towards American nationals in the country of Turkey. When we do our markup on the NDAA, instead of talking about how we strengthen our relationship with their part in manufacturing the joint strike fighter and the timeline to have the joint strike fighter within their military bases, now I’ve got to start talking about whether or not they should have it at all.
“I’ve got to start talking about what the future of our relationship is with a nation that is, for the first time in NATO history, holding American hostages as a NATO ally. I’ve got to take things in a different direction because it’s my responsibility as the Co-Chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group and as the Senator from a state who has a citizen in prison for 580 days. I have no choice.”
Tillis on Brunson’s support in the U.S. Senate:
“Until this man is released along with the others who have been falsely charged are treated fairly, I am going to come to the Senate floor each and every week we’re in session to make sure that the American people know what’s going on in Turkey and make absolutely certain that the people like Pastor Brunson in prison know that they have people in the U.S. Senate — in fact, 66 members — who have signed a letter to send a very clear message that we’re watching and there will be consequences if this man is wrongfully imprisoned and could potentially spend the rest of his life in Turkey.”
Tillis on visiting Pastor Brunson:
“I went to Turkey about six weeks ago to visit Pastor Brunson in prison because I heard that after being in prison for a year and a half, much of that time in a cell designed for eight people and had 21 people in it, he was indicted. I heard that he was afraid that the American people were going to read that 62-page bogus indictment, with some of the flimsiest charges that you can imagine, and turn their back on him. It was important for me to travel over there and tell him face-to-face in that Turkish prison that’s the last thing that’s going to happen. We’re going to continue to work every day that he’s in prison to get him home.”
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