As part of a reported secret deal arranged with the United States, a Turkish court released American pastor Andrew Brunson on Friday.
The North Carolina Christian minister had been held since October 2016 on unsubstantiated charges of terrorism and espionage by the hardline regime of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Second High Criminal Court in western Izmir province convicted Brunson of terror-related charges and sentenced him to three years, one month and 15 days in prison, according to the pro-government Daily Sabah of Istanbul. But the judge said Brunson will not spend anymore time in custody because of time served. Prosecutors had sought a 35-year sentence....