Turkish court rejects US pastor’s appeal to be released from house arrest – lawyer

A Turkish court has rejected an American Christian pastor’s appeal to be released from house arrest and for his travel ban to be lifted, his lawyer said on Wednesday. However, an upper court is yet to rule on the appeal, Reuters reported. Evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson is standing trial in Turkey over terrorism charges. His case has been at the heart of a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and the United States that has sent Turkish lira into free-fall. US President Donald Trump “has a great deal of frustration on the fact that Pastor Brunson has not been released as well as the fact that other US citizens and employees of diplomatic facilities have not been released,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said on Tuesday.