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İYİ Party General Secretary and Spokesperson Dr. Aytun Çıray has made a statement about the sanctions declared by the US.
“The AKP (Justice and Development Party) Government should confiscate assets of US ministers and secretaries, Trump Towers. Purchase of airliners of 11 billion dollars from the US should be halted”.
İYİ Party supports the AKP
Çıray said that they support the AKP concerning the US’ decision to impose sanctions:
“İYİ Party criticizing the AKP government with respect to foreign policies doesn’t mean that it sides with foreign states”.
CHP supported AKP as well
Concerning the US sanctions, main opposition party Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said, “If there is a problem, it should be discussed. We don’t find this decision right. We should take the same decision against the two ministers of the US”.
What happened?
Protestant Diriliş (Resurrection) Church Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson was arrested on December 9, 2016. Charges pressed against him are “Committing crime on behalf of Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) as a non-member” and “espionage”. The charge was pressed based on statements of an anonymous witness codenamed “Dua” (Prayer).
Brunson’s detention was converted to house arrest on August 25.
On July 31, the demand that the house arrest and international travel ban be lifted was rejected.
Trump also mentioned “sanctions”
Concerning the detainment of Pastor Brunson, US President Donald Trump declared that sanctions will be imposed on Turkey.
The US President wrote on Twitter:
The United States will impose large sanctions on Turkey for their long time detainment of Pastor Andrew Brunson, a great Christian, family man and wonderful human being. He is suffering greatly.
“This innocent man of faith should be released immediately!”
“Financial limitation” bill on Turkey
The US Senate passed the bill that limits Turkey getting loan from international financial institutions until “Turkey end unjust detention of US citizens” last week.
On previous day, US Senate and the House of Representatives temporarily stopped delivery of F-35 jets to Turkey despite US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis’ objection.
"You have a priest, too"
Turkey learned the arrest of Brunson during the meeting of the President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump on July 17, 2017. At the meeting, Trump demanded that the Pastor Brunson be released from prison.
As for President Erdoğan, he proposed the exchange of US-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, the head of Gülen Community, which is charged with plotting the coup attempt on Jul 15, 2016, with Brunson.
"The US wants extradition of a priest from us. You have a priest too. You hand him over us as well", Erdoğan said. (HK/TK)
