U.S. senators propose bill to restrict Turkey from receiving loans until it releases detained US pastor

Six U.S. senators on Thursday introduced bipartisan legislation to restrict loans from international financial institutions to Turkey “until the Turkish government releases a US citizen in detention.

This is according to a senate committee statement.

The move followed a Turkish court decision on Wednesday to keep U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson in jail during his trial on terrorism and spying charges, a case that has deepened a rift between the two countries.

The bill, dubbed the Turkey International Financial Institutions Act, directs the U.S. executive of the World Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to oppose future loans, except for humanitarian purposes, to Turkey, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations statement said.

It said the opposition should continue until Turkey is “no longer arbitrarily detaining or denying freedom of movement to United States citizens (including dual citizens) or locally employed staff members of the United States mission to Turkey.”

Brunson, a Christian pastor from North Carolina who has lived in Turkey for more than two decades, was indicted on charges of helping the group that Ankara blames for a failed 2016 coup against President Tayyip Erdogan, as well as supporting outlawed PKK Kurdish militants.

Brunson, who denies the charges, faces up to 35 years in jail if found guilty.

The United States and Turkey have been formal military allies since Turkey joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1952.

Reuters