Izmir, Turkey, Court Lifts House Arrest and Travel Ban on American Pastor Andrew Branson

Andrew Branson is an American evangelical minister from North Carolina who moved to Turkey to engage in proselytizing efforts, according to a 2016 report by DW. A later DW report describes him as a U.S. citizen and pastor who had been overseeing a small Protestant church in Izmir. An Ynet report said he had lived in Turkey for 23 years.

DW reported that Branson was arrested in 2016 during a routine visa extension process, three months after the failed coup attempt. Accounts differ on the timing of the legal action against him. Al Jazeera reported that he was accused in October 2016 of spying and of supporting two terrorist organizations. Noon Post reported that he had been under house arrest and travel restrictions since his arrest in December 2016. The reports do not reconcile these dates.

According to DW, Branson was charged with “terrorism” and “spying,” and he consistently denied those charges. His case calls for truth and a fair hearing, the kind of care for the truth that the Scriptures call for (Proverbs 18:17).

In a separate development, a financial report said the Turkish lira fell to 5.12 per dollar on Monday, August 6, a historic low, and had lost more than 25 percent of its value since the beginning of the year. The report did not link the currency decline to Branson’s case.

In August 2018, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on Turkish Justice Minister Abdelhamid Gol and Interior Secretary Sulayman Suylu. The Treasury said the ministers led Turkish government organizations responsible for serious human rights violations. A France 24 report said the State Department announced sanctions against the Turkish ministers of the interior and justice, and that the Treasury said the two ministers’ property and assets had been confiscated. France 24 also reported that Ankara threatened to respond to Washington.

Al Jazeera reported that a Turkish court in Izmir lifted the house arrest and travel ban on Branson. Noon Post reported that the Second Criminal Court of Izmir State (West) had ordered Branson to serve a prison sentence of three years, one month, and fifteen days under Article 220/7 of the Turkish Penal Code. The available reports describe that sentence but do not explain how it related to the lifting of his house arrest.

DW reported on October 12, 2018, that Branson had arrived in Germany from Turkey after his release. Ynet’s report on the dispute between Turkey and the United States said Branson, a North Carolina-based priest who had lived in Turkey for 23 years, had been held in Turkey since, but the text in the available copy ends before giving that date.