Richard White, Pastor of Christ Community Church in Montreat, N.C., speaks to a reporter outside the Sakran Prison complex in Aliaga, Turkey, on May 7. White attended the second hearing of EPC Teaching Elder Andrew Brunson’s trial. (photo credit: World Watch Monitor)

by Richard White, Pastor
Christ Community Church
Montreat, N.C.

Sad, angry, and resolute.

These are my states of mind as I wake after Andrew Brunson’s trial. After 10 hours in court, I am deeply saddened that the judge refused to allow Andrew’s request to return home and finish the trial under some form of house arrest. I’m sad at having to watch Norine be brave yet again for her husband and community. She is like Mary pouring her treasure out at Jesus’ feet. It’s her costly treasure of time, lost time with husband and children, her father’s death, and so much more. I’m also sad for the Turkish people and the blatant miscarriage of justice. This bleeds into my anger.

The judge allowed the most ludicrous witnesses to testify against Andrew. One young man, who had angrily left their church years ago, wanted to return to the church but was denied membership because he was such a troublemaker. He refused to repent. On the stand, this man admitted to creating a fake Facebook page in Andrew’s name and posting pro-terrorist items on it. The judge looked passed this and validated this man’s testimony of seeing terrorist flags in Andrew’s church. It was a total lie, but the judge said it carried weight. The judge not only led witnesses with his questions, but also linked all the witnesses at the end in an effort to maintain the case against Andrew. The most angering blow was at the end when the judge decimated Andrew’s witness defense list saying that most of his witnesses were also “suspects” and, therefore, could not testify on Andrew’s behalf. This, in effect, ties the hands of Andrew’s defense.

So, what to do with unresolved sadness and justified anger? This morning I am reflecting on 1 Peter 2:23—“When he was reviled he did not revile in return, when he suffered (unjustly) he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to Him who judges justly.” Also, Psalm 30:5— “Weeping endures for the night but joy comes in the morning.” And Romans 12:12—“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation and constant in prayer.”

God did answer many prayers. Andrew spoke with clarity, authority, and boldness in the Lord as he refuted many, many lies spoken against him. Norine remained strong and alert. I had asked the Lord to be able to get into the courtroom. We got in. I asked to be a visible encouragement to Andrew and to have five minutes to visit with him. Everyone assured me that it would be impossible. No clergy of any faith have visited prisoners during this state of emergency in Turkey. BUT…then there was a technical difficulty with the jumbotron screens and while all were distracted, Andrew turned around in his seat and looked back at us as we sat in the back of the court. Norine said that this was not allowed. But with the judges distracted with the screen, Andrew was able to lock eyes with Norine and me and Sam and several others. I was able to communicate love, prayers, and blessings. It was a sacred and joy-filled moment from the Lord. We all wept. This technological difficulty lasted five minutes. It happened again later so we got another opportunity for eye–to-eye, loving contact. When Andrew was escorted out of the courtroom I moved to a place closer to his exit door and yelled out, “We love you, brother. We will never forget you. The whole church is praying for you back home.”

Joy, sorrow, anger, and resolution.

I remain resolute in standing with and praying for Andrew. I know you do as well. Hebrews 13:5 says, “Remember those in prison as though with them.” So we must keep praying. God is working something much larger than we can see or understand right now. I assured Norine and Andrew (in a note I left for Andrew with the U.S. consular) that our church is praying for them, even at 2:00 a.m. in Graham Chapel.

Thank you for praying. This is the hard work God has for us. Romans 15:30 says, “I appeal to you brothers and sisters by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered.”

In a May 8 appearance on Fox News, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) offered harsh words for Turkey for its continued detainment of EPC Teaching Elder Andrew Brunson, who has been held since October 2016. Brunson was returned to prison following testimony on May 7, with further proceedings postponed until July 18.

“The allegations against him are absurd,” Tillis said, “and even more absurd is Pastor Brunson requesting 10 witnesses to testify in his defense and being denied. That is the nature of this kangaroo court we are witnessing in Turkey.”

Tillis noted that Brunson’s situation continues to strain relations between the two countries.

“It is unheard of for NATO allies to treat people this way,” he said. “We have to look at all of our ties with Turkey and question whether that is the best partner on national defense and economic ties.”

Click here to watch the full six-minute interview.

Andrew Brunson

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) expressed disappointment in a Turkish court’s May 7 decision in EPC Teaching Elder Andrew Brunson’s trial on terrorism and espionage charges. After 11 hours of testimony—mostly from anonymous witnesses who testified via video link with disguised faces and altered voices—the judge postponed further proceedings until July 18 and returned Brunson to prison. In addition, the court refused to hear testimony from any defense witnesses.

“We leave the courthouse with serious concerns,” said Sandra Jolley, USCIRF Vice-Chair, who attended the proceedings in Aliaga, Turkey. “Today’s eleven hours of proceedings were dominated by wild conspiracies, tortured logic, and secret witnesses, but no real evidence to speak of. Worse still, the judge’s decision at the conclusion of today’s hearing to dismiss all of the witnesses called by Pastor Brunson’s defense without listening to a single minute of their testimony is simply unconscionable.”

Click here for the Commission’s full statement.

The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission that reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations abroad, and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress.

Sandra Jolley

In a statement recorded outside the courtroom in Turkey where Andrew Brunson is on trial on May 7, Sandra Jolley, Vice-Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, issued an appeal for his immediate release.

“Every day that Andrew Brunson spends here in prison is a day that the standing of the Turkish government diminishes in the eyes of not just the United States, but the entire world,” Jolley told reporters.

Click here to listen to Jolley’s interview with reporters. She answers several questions and speaks for approximately two and half minutes.

Andrew Brunson

In the first updates from Andrew Brunson’s trial on May 7, EPC Teaching Elder Andrew Brunson has strongly denied accusations made by a secret witness. The witness, who testified by video link with disguised face and voice, is described as a former parishioner of the Izmir Resurrection Church. Brunson planted and has served as Pastor of the Izmir congregation since 2010.

The witness reportedly claimed that the church was an intermediary for the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK). Turkey considers the PKK a terrorist organization.

LatestUpdates.com first reported that Brunson said, “I reject all the allegations about the PKK terror organization. I have never supported them.”

A report from the trial published later on Monday morning by the Turkish “Hurriyet Daily News” quoted Brunson as “insisting that he ‘never permitted politics in church.’”

The Reuters news service quoted Brunson as declaring, “I was never ashamed to be a server of Jesus but these claims are shameful and disgusting.”

The Washington Post quoted Brunson as responding, “There is not one photograph or tape recording praising the PKK at the (Izmir) Resurrection Church. Our church had several Turkish followers.”

Click here for the full LatestUpdates.com report.

Click here for the Hurriyet Daily News article.

Click here for the Reuters report.

Click here for the Washington Post story.

50 members of the European Parliament signed a May 4 letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan requesting the EPC Teaching Elder’s release.

The letter begins, “We express our deep concern about the wrongful imprisonment of Pastor Andrew Brunson” and concludes, “Pastor Andrew Brunson has been living peacefully in Turkey for 23 years. We believe he is an innocent political prisoner; therefore, we urge you again to release him without delay.”

The signatories also reminded Erdoğan of the European Parliament’s February 7 resolution, in which Turkey was urged to respect its own European and international commitments on the prohibition of arbitrary detention by releasing Brunson.

“Andrew’s imprisonment continues to draw international attention,” said Jeff Jeremiah, EPC Stated Clerk. “All of us in the EPC are grateful for the support of so many people and governments around the world who believe so strongly that Andrew should be reunited with his family.”

The signatories included Lars Adaktusson and Peter van Dalen, the vice-chair and co-chair, respectively, of the European Intergroup on Freedom of Religion.

Click here to read the entire letter, including the names of all signatories and the countries they represent.

As international media continue to issue reports of Andrew Brunson’s trial in Turkey on April 16, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted his support of the EPC Teaching Elder. The President’s message on social media, which was delivered on April 17, reads:

“Pastor Andrew Brunson, a fine gentleman and Christian leader in the United States, is on trial and being persecuted in Turkey for no reason. They call him a Spy, but I am more a Spy than he is. Hopefully he will be allowed to come home to his beautiful family where he belongs!”

On April 18, the Washington Post reported that the Trump administration warned Turkey that it is considering punitive “consequences” if Brunson is not freed.

Wess Mitchell, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the U.S. State Department, said the State Department is consulting with Congress about “possible measures” if Brunson is not acquitted or released.

Andrew Brunson

Brunson is being tried on charges that he aided terror groups and committed espionage against Turkey, where he has lived since 1993. At the time of his arrest in October 2016, he had been serving as Pastor of Izmir Resurrection Church since he planted the congregation in 2010.

In an 30-minute video interview available on the Christian Broadcasting Network website, Aykan Erdemir—a former member of the Turkish parliament and now a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, D.C.—said Brunson’s 18-month, pre-trial imprisonment “has become a sort of torture.”

“Right after the noon break when he came back and was defending himself, he had a mental breakdown. He sat down; it’s reported that he started crying and he told the judge how difficult it is to survive in this kind of isolation chamber,” Erdemir said.

Following more than 12 hours of testimony, the judge adjourned the hearing until May 7 and ordered Brunson returned to prison. The Wall Street Journal reported that as he was being escorted from the courtroom, Brunson turned to his wife and said, “I am going crazy here, I love you.”

Brunson was sent to the facility where he was held from December 2016 through August 2017, which is notorious for its overcrowding. As many as 22 inmates are held in cells designed for eight prisoners.

Brunson’s trial has garnered media coverage internationally, with outlets in such locations as Japan, Nigeria, and Singapore reporting on the situation.

EPC Stated Clerk Jeff Jeremiah encouraged people to share media reports of the trial among their social media networks.

“I want to keep Andrew’s situation in the public eye as much as possible,” Jeremiah said. “The entire world needs to know about Andrew, and both pray to the Lord and advocate to their leaders on Andrew’s behalf.”

Andrew Brunson

Following more than 10 hours of testimony on April 16, EPC Teaching Elder Andrew Brunson was returned to prison as the judge delayed further hearings until May 7.

“I am very disappointed that Andrew was not released today,” said EPC Stated Clerk Jeff Jeremiah. “I just can’t imagine how discouraged Andrew and Norine are right now.”

The Wall Street Journal reported that Andrew defended himself for five hours against the charges in the indictment.

“I don’t accept any of the allegations or accusations,” Brunson said in fluent Turkish. “I love Turkey. I’ve been praying for Turkey for 25 years. I want truth to come out.”

Following the close of proceedings on April 16, Bloomberg reported an apparent connection between the May 7 date and the scheduled sentencing of a Turkish banker convicted in January 2018 of taking part in a billion-dollar scheme to evade American sanctions against Iran. The banker—Mehmet Hakan Attila—was deputy general manager for international banking at a Turkish state bank. On April 9, U.S. District Judge Richard Berman rescheduled Attila’s sentencing from April 11 to May 7.

“We will continue to cry to God in prayer for our brother in Christ,” Jeremiah added. “As Andrew’s trial has drawn the attention of the U.S. and global media, we need to do all we can to keep the world’s attention on Andrew and his unjust imprisonment.”

Andrew Brunson

Speaking at the beginning of his trial on April 16, EPC Teaching Elder Andrew Brunson denied accusations that he aided terror groups or spied against Turkey. The trial convened at 9:00 a.m. local time (2:00 a.m. EDT) in Aliaga, Turkey. Aliaga is about 40 miles north of Izmir, where Brunson served as pastor of the Izmir Resurrection Church at the time of his arrest in October 2016.

“I don’t accept any of the allegations or accusations,” Brunson said in fluent Turkish. “I did not engage in any illegal activity. I had no relations with anyone engaged in such activity. I am a Christian pastor. I did not join an Islamic movement. Their aims and mine are different.” He also said, “I’ve never done something against Turkey. I love Turkey. I’ve been praying for Turkey for 25 years. I want truth to come out.”

The Wall Street Journal reported that Brunson’s defense statement lasted five hours, “during which he at times appeared overwhelmed by emotion and wept.”

Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Sam Brownback, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom at the U.S. Department of State, were in the courtroom. During a recess in the proceedings, Brownback, who also is a former senator and governor of Kansas, told reporters that the United States cares deeply about its relationship with Turkey, and “that relationship is going to have difficulty moving forward as long as Andrew Brunson is incarcerated.”

As of 1:00 p.m. April 16, EPC leaders have not been contacted by sources close to the situation, but have been monitoring international news media for reports from the trial. Among the many media outlets producing articles about the proceedings are Reuters, the Saudi Gazette, and the Washington Post.

“Please continue to pray today as the trial proceeds,” said EPC Stated Clerk Jeff Jeremiah. “We will provide further updates as more information is available.”

Thom Tillis

Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) announced on March 28 that he met with imprisoned EPC Teaching Elder Andrew Brunson on Monday, March 26, at Buca Prison in Ismir, Turkey. Brunson has been held since October 7, 2016, on terrorism-related charges.

Tillis issued the following statement:

“Pastor Brunson is strengthened by his love for his family and his faith in God, but his health has deteriorated. He has lost 50 pounds and spends 24 hours a day in a cell with limited human contact.  He is attempting to visit a doctor this week, which involves him being handcuffed and transported with several armed guards. He fears the possibility that the American government accepts the indictment and forgets about him, which we will not allow to happen.

Andrew Brunson

“There should be no mistake that Pastor Brunson is the victim of false accusations, and we call upon the Turkish authorities to honestly and transparently review his indictment. Pastor Brunson is being used as a political pawn by some elements of the Turkish government. These elements seek to undercut the longstanding partnership between the United States and Turkey, in which our two nations have enjoyed close diplomatic, economic, and military ties. It is vital that our nations continue this partnership and continue to work together to pursue our common interests.

“I would also note the continued detention of multiple other U.S. citizens, as well as several Turkish staff of the U.S. diplomatic Mission, on scant evidence under the state of emergency, which continues to undermine the partnership between our two countries. It is time for Pastor Brunson and these individuals to be reunited with their families. We look forward to Pastor Brunson’s return home to America.”

Andrew Brunson

A court in Turkey has accepted a 62-page indictment against EPC Teaching Elder Andrew Brunson on terrorism-related charges. Prosecutors are asking for a 35-year prison sentence.

His trial is scheduled to begin April 16.

In a statement, Cece Heil of the American Center for Law and Justice—which is representing the Brunson family in legal and advocacy efforts—said the indictment is “wholly lacking merit” and “provides no evidence regarding criminal action by Pastor Andrew, which comes as no surprise. Incredibly, the indictment now admits that Turkey considers sharing the gospel an ‘act of terrorism.’”

Media reports indicate that the indictment charges Andrew with being an “executive” in the Gülen organization that Turkish President Erdoğan blames for the failed July 2016 coup attempt. Hurriyet News, the leading state-run media outlet in Turkey, reports Andrew is charged with committing crimes on behalf of terrorist organizations. In addition, the Global News Network is reporting that the indictment claims Andrew was using his position as a Christian minister to sow discord among the population, and sought to divide the nation and award authority of the result to the Gülenists and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which launched a separatist movement in 1984 and Turkey has designated a terrorist organization. An article in WorldWatch Monitor quotes Andrew’s Turkish lawyer, and explains the challenges Andrew’s defense team faces.

“I confess that I don’t understand how this all fits into God’s plan,” said Jeff Jeremiah, EPC Stated Clerk. “Please continue to pray for Andrew and Norine in light of this development, and that somehow God would use it for His glory and Andrew’s freedom.”

Jacqueline Furnari (center) implored the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 9 to help get her father, EPC Teaching Elder Andrew Brunson, released from Turkey where he has been imprisoned since October 2016.

Jacqueline Furnari, daughter of Andrew and Norine Brunson, told members of the United Nations Human Rights Council that Turkey “should not get away with holding my father one more day” and pleaded with the U.N. to work to get her father released and returned to the United States. She spoke to the Council on March 9 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Andrew Brunson

Brunson, an EPC Teaching Elder who has lived in Turkey since 1993, has been imprisoned since October 7, 2016. He is accused of participation with groups the Turkish government blames for the failed July 2016 coup attempt.

On March 13, a Turkish prosecutor demanded a 35-year prison sentence, according to a report by the Doğan News Agency in Turkey. The prosecutor charged Brunson, 50, with being a “member and executive” of the Fetullah Gülen organization, which the government of Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan blames for the coup attempt and considers a terrorist group.

Click here for more coverage of Furnari’s testimony to the U.N. Human Rights Council.

On March 13 and 14, multiple media reports in the U.S. indicated that Andrew had been officially indicted on charges that he was an “executive” with the Gülen movement. (Under the Turkish legal system, once an indictment is made the court has 15 days to return a decision on the indictment. If approved, the case will proceed and the prosecution phase will begin.)

“Norine and I have been in regular contact via encrypted email this week,” said Jeff Jeremiah, EPC Stated Clerk. “She is so grateful for our continued prayers for her husband, and confirmed to me on Thursday, March 15, that the news reports of an indictment were inaccurate.”

Click here for a detailed report on the most recent accusations.