Erdoğan says court will decide fate of detained pastor

TURKISH President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said a Turkish court, not politicians, will decide the fate of an American pastor whose detention on terrorism charges has hit relations between Ankara and Washington.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday he was hopeful Turkey would release evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson this month. The preacher was moved to house arrest in July after being detained for 21 months.

But in an interview late on Tuesday while he was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly meetings, Mr Erdoğan said any decision on Brunson would be made by the court.

“This is a judiciary matter. Brunson has been detained on terrorism charges. On October 12 there will be another hearing and we don’t know what the court will decide and politicians will have no say on the verdict,” Mr Erdoğan said.

If found guilty, Brunson could be jailed for up to 35 years. He denies the charges.

“As the president, I don’t have the right to order his release. Our judiciary is independent. Let’s wait and see what the court will decide,” Mr Erdoğan said.

US President Donald Trump, infuriated by Brunson’s detention, authoried a doubling of duties on aluminium and steel imported from Turkey in August. Turkey retaliated by increasing tariffs on US cars, alcohol and tobacco imports.

The Turkish lira has lost nearly 40 per cent of its value against the dollar this year on concerns over Mr Erdoğan’s grip on monetary policy and the diplomatic dispute between Ankara and Washington.

“The Brunson case is not even closely related to Turkey’s economy. The current economic challenges have been exaggerated more than necessary and Turkey will overcome these challenges with its own resources,” Mr Erdoğan said.

Turkey’s central bank raised its benchmark rate by a hefty 625 basis points this month, boosting the lira and possibly easing investor concern over Erdoğan’s influence on monetary policy. Mr Erdoğan said he was against the measure.

“It shows the central bank is independent. As the president, I am against high interest rates and I am repeating my stance here again,” he said, adding that high rates “primarily scare away investors”.

“This was a decision made by the central bank. I hope and pray that their expectations will be met because high rates lead to high inflation. I hope the other way around will happen this time.”

The lira firmed slightly after Mr Erdoğan’s assurance on the independence of the central bank was published.