Turkey says to retaliate against US decision to impose sanctions over pastor

Turkey will retaliate against a US decision to impose sanctions on two senior ministers over the imprisonment of Pastor Andrew Brunson, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

Washington sanctioned Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu over the pastor’s detention. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the two men played leading roles in his 2016 arrest and later detention.

“We call on the US. administration to walk back from this wrong decision,” a statement by the Turkish foreign ministry said, calling Washington’s action a “hostile stance”.

The Turkish Anadolu Agency tweeted Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu’s statement in which he said: “US attempt to impose sanctions on our two ministers will not go unanswered.”

Cavusoglu himself tweeted: Noone dictates Turkey. We will never tolerate threats from anybody. Rule of law is for everyone; no exception.