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Archons of Patriarchate applaud release of US pastor from Turkish prison

Archons of Patriarchate applaud release of US pastor from Turkish prison

The Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Greek Orthodox Church have applauded a Turkish court's decision last week to release American Pastor Andrew Brunson after he spent two years in custody over alleged connectios to Kurdish militants and supporters of Fethullah Gulen, the cleric Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames for the 2016 botched coup attempt.

“The Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, applauds this action, after having called for the release of Pastor Brunson from his unjust imprisonment for quite some time,” Order Commander Dr Anthony J. Limberakis, said in an announcement.

“We hope that the freeing of Brunson will herald a new flowering of respect for religious freedom in Turkey, leading to the granting of full religious freedom to the Orthodox Christians of Turkey, the reopening of the Halki Seminary, and the granting of full rights to the Ecumenical Patriarchate,” the announcement from the American-based order said. 

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