The Latest: Turkey court rejects release of US pastor

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Latest on Turkey's currency crisis and diplomatic dispute with the United States (all times local):

Turkey's state-run news agency says a higher Turkish court has also rejected an appeal for the release from detention of an American pastor who is at the center of a Turkish-U.S. spat. A court in the western province of Izmir rejected an appeal to release the pastor, Andrew Brunson, from house arrest, saying evidence was still being collected and he posed a potential flight risk, according to a copy of the court ruling seen by Reuters. It also rejected an appeal for his travel ban to be lifted, Anadolu reported. The continued house arrest of the Protestant clergyman has been an increasingly contentious issue between Turkey and the U.S.

Trump said in a tweet on Thursday that Turkey is holding "our wonderful Christian pastor" who must now be considered a "great patriot hostage." The American pastor jailed in Turkey on espionage and terrorism-related charges was praised by President Trump on Thursday who called him “a great patriot hostage” — and said the U.S. would “pay nothing for the release of an innocent man.”

Trump, in a tweet, condemned the Turkish government for taking “advantage” of the U.S. and added that while the administration would not pay for Pastor Andrew Brunson’s release, the U.S. is “cutting back on Turkey.”

Trump likely was referring to the increase in tariffs and sanctions he authorized last week — after which the Turkish economy took a tumble. The U.S. recently slapped financial sanctions on two Turkish ministers and doubled steel and aluminum tariffs on Turkey over the pastor's continued detention, causing economic upheaval in Turkey. ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey’s battered lira weakened 5 percent on Friday after a Turkish court rejected a U.S. Christian pastor’s appeal for release, a day after the United States warned of further sanctions unless Ankara hands over the detained minister. Investors, already worried about Turkey's economy, were irked by a diplomatic and trade dispute with the United States over the continued detention of an American pastor Andrew Brunson on espionage and terror-related charges.
A high court in İzmir, Turkey, rejects an appeal to release U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson.