US pastor back on trial in Turkey, with renewed calls for handover

A US pastor who has been detained for two-years in Turkey appeared in court again on Friday, amid growing calls for his release.

Ankara has been under pressure to release Andrew Brunson, after his jailing led to one of the biggest diplomatic rows between the US and Turkey in recent years.

Washington has slapped sanctions on Turkey while the Turkish lira has plummeted.

Ankara has still repeatedly denied requests for Brunson to be freed, with reports that he might be released on Friday.

If the courts decide he should remain behind bars it could lead to a backlash from Washington and also financial markets could prove bruising for Turkey.

"Everyone who deals with Turkey in Washington has been impatiently waiting for the October 12 hearing," wrote Turkey's Hurriyet daily US correspondent Cansu Camlibel.

"Is a face-saving in the making for Turkey?"

The trial comes amid a new crisis for Ankara surrounding tje disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi when he visited the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul on 2 October.

Both Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump have demanded Saudi explain what happened to Khashoggi, after they claimed he left the consulate. 

Saudi Arabia has not provided evidence to back up its claims, with intelligence sources leaking opinions that he was murdered in the consulate.

Erdogan, who has in the past taken aim at Brunson, appeared to distance himself from the case in his latest comments.

He said this week that he could not interfere in judicial affairs.

"Whatever decision the judiciary makes, I am obliged to obey it," he told Turkish reporters.

Brunson, who runs a small evangelical Protestant church in the western port city of Izmir, has since late July been held under house arrest but is banned from leaving the country, charged with aiding terrorists.

His hearing is due to take place at a court in Aliaga, north of Izmir, at 7am.

Christian evangelicals in the US have taken up his case, and President Donald Trump has been under to pressure to secure his release.

The president lauded Brunson as a "great patriot" who was being held "hostage".

Brunson was first detained in October 2016 on allegations of assisting groups involved in a failed coup attempt in Turkey in 2016.

He could spent 35 years in jail if found guilty, while Brunson and US officials insist he is innocent of all charges.

Turkey views the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen as terrorist entities.