Actress and producer Roma Downey asked social media followers to pray for American missionary Andrew Brunson, who was recently placed on house arrest after more than a year behind bars in Turkey.
Our prayers to bring #PastorAndrew Bruson home from Turkey continue please join us in prayer for him and his family
— Roma Downey (@RealRomaDowney) Aug. 2, 2018
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump leveled sanctions against two Turkish officials due to Turkey’s imprisonment of the longtime pastor.
“[Tayyip] Erdogan cannot afford a full-blown crisis with the US given the fragility of Turkey’s economy,” said Wolfango Piccoli, of the consultancy Teneo Intelligence. “In the short term, the U.S. sanctions can be used to rally support around the flag. But economic reality will soon kick in, forcing Erdogan to reconsider his defiant stance.”
But Turkey threatened retaliation over the sanctions.
Downey is far from the only prominent figure to bring light to Brunson’s unjust imprisonment.
Spoke by phone w/ Pastor Andrew Brunson after his release from prison in Turkey. While out of prison, this man of faith is still under house arrest. Assured him @POTUS & our entire Admin will keep working to secure his full release & get him back to the USA #FreePastorBrunson
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) July 26, 2018
Thank you @POTUS for defending Pastor Andrew Brunson. https://t.co/3MtqGWYhlK
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) Aug.1, 2018
UPDATE: Pastor Andrew Brunson
“We believe he is a victim .. The Dept of Treasury is sanctioning Turkey’s Ministers of Justice & Interior” for imprisonment of Brunson @PressSec pic.twitter.com/s9LWc5WzSR— Ben Kennedy (@BenKennedyTV) August 1, 2018
I applaud the Trump administration for sanctioning individuals within Erdogan’s gov’t who are responsible for the imprisonment of Andrew Brunson & other Americans. As a nation, we owe it to those who are being jailed unjustly to hold their Turkish perpetrators accountable.
— Sen. James Lankford (@SenatorLankford) Aug.1, 2018
Yesterday the Trump administration sanctioned 2 Turkish officials who were involved in the arrest & detention of Pastor Andrew Brunson. Now is the time for Turkey to begin acting like the NATO ally that it claims to be and live up to its own constitution. https://t.co/hKzOyo67ro
— Tony Perkins (@tperkins) Aug. 2, 2018
The Turkish currency hit a new record low in immediate response to the announcement of US sanctions against senior Turkish officials over their ongoing & unjust imprisonment of Andrew Brunson.
— Johnnie Moore ن (@JohnnieM) Aug.1, 2018
This is my first retweeting of a presidential tweet. I said I would support him when he does things that are right and good. This is right and good. It is time–past time–for the U.S. to impose sanctions on the Erdogan regime for the unjust detainment of Andrew Brunson. https://t.co/PnqsijUZ3B
— Robert P. George (@McCormickProf) July 27, 2018
Turkish officials imprisoned Brunson in October 2016 and charged him with engaging in espionage and aiding terrorist groups.
Erdogan demands the United States extradite Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan has repeatedly accused of organizing the 2016 coup from his compound in Pennsylvania, before Erdogan will release Brunson.
“Our fellow citizens aren’t bargaining chips,” Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Nebraska, says. “Pastor Brunson is an innocent man. Turkey’s charges are completely unjust and these new sanctions are absolutely warranted. President Erdogan ought to know that the United States expects more from a member of NATO. Free Pastor Brunson now.”
