A HOUSE RESOLUTION urging the release of pastor andrew brunson from a turkish prison.
Whereas, Pastor Andrew Brunson is an American citizen and from Black Mountain, North Carolina, who has served as a missionary and pastor in Turkey since 1993; and
Whereas, Pastor Brunson was detained and formally arrested following the Turkish government's imposition of a State of Emergency after a violent coup attempt in July 2016 that was rightly opposed by the United States and Turks from across the political spectrum; and
Whereas, during the State of Emergency, tens of thousands of citizens of Turkey and citizens of the United States were arrested on vague criminal charges based on false evidence; and
Whereas, the Turkish government detained Pastor Brunson in 2016 without issuing an indictment until March of 2018; and
Whereas, Pastor Brunson faces a possible sentence of 35 years for being involved in a "terrorist organization," while merely being a Christian pastor and missionary in Turkey; and
Whereas, Pastor Brunson's next hearing date is July 18, 2018, at which time he will have spent 649 days of his life away from his family, including his wife and two daughters, in a Turkish prison on wrongful and unfair charges; and
Whereas, Foreign Minister Cavusoglu stated, "What needs to be done is the United States needs to let go of this"; and
Whereas, 66 bipartisan members of the United States Senate and 154 bipartisan members of the United States House of Representatives signed separate letters to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Turkey, urging him to release Pastor Brunson; and
Whereas, Turkey and the United States are both members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; and
Whereas, Turkey's ongoing policy of unlawfully detaining United States citizens significantly damages economic and diplomatic cooperation and undermines the long‑standing trust between our State and country rooted in NATO principles; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
SECTION 1.  The House of Representatives joins members of the United States Congress in asking that Pastor Brunson be released from prison immediately.
SECTION 2.  The House of Representatives encourages Congress and the Trump Administration to take necessary steps to protect the interests of American citizens in Turkey, including with sanctions and other appropriate means.
SECTION 3.  The Principal Clerk shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the members of North Carolina's congressional delegation.
SECTION 4.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.