VOA标准英语--Still Looking for Pastor Brunson's Release

 

American Pastor¹ Andrew Brunson, wrongfully incarcerated² in Turkey, was moved from Buca Prison to house arrest recently. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “While this move is a positive development, it is not enough. We have seen no credible³ evidence against Mr. Brunson, and we call on Turkish authorities to resolve his case immediately in a transparent⁵ and fair manner.”

Vice⁶ President Mike Pence paid tribute to Pastor Brunson at the recent Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, describing him as an “American citizen who's lived in Turkey for more than two decades, raising his family there, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, faithfully, in his ministry⁷.”

In 2016, Pastor Brunson was arrested by Turkish authorities, as part of a massive crackdown following a failed coup⁸ attempt. Tens of thousands of journalists, activists⁹, judges, army officers, teachers, and others, including U.S. citizens, were arrested. Many remain imprisoned¹⁰ to this day.

Pastor Brunson was imprisoned without being charged for more than a year. And when the Turkish government finally indicted¹¹ him on terrorism related charges, they also accused him of “dividing and separating” Turkey by simply spreading his Christian¹² faith.

“Pastor Andrew Brunson is an innocent man,” declared Vice President Pence. That's why the U.S. government has worked tirelessly to secure Pastor Brunson's release – as well as the release of other Americans, including Serkan Golge, and U.S. Mission employees.

Vice President Pence sent a direct message on behalf of President Trump¹³ to Turkish President Recep Erdogan: “Release Pastor Andrew Brunson now, or be prepared to face the consequences. If Turkey does not take immediate⁴ action to free this innocent man of faith and send him home to America, the United States will impose significant sanctions on Turkey until Pastor Andrew Brunson is free.”

On August 1, The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control took action targeting Turkey's Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gul and Minister of Interior Suleyman Soylu, both of whom played leading roles in the organizations responsible for the arrest and detention¹⁴ of Pastor Andrew Brunson.

Advancing the cause of religious liberty is a just cause. “We're advancing the first freedom that is essential to the people of all of our nations and to the world,” stressed Vice President Pence.

The American people cherish religious freedom. And they will always stand with people across the world who stand for their faith, like Pastor Brunson.

1 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

2 incarcerated   

钳闭的

参考例句：

• They were incarcerated for the duration of the war. 战争期间，他们被关在狱中。 来自辞典例句
• I don't want to worry them by being incarcerated. 我不想让他们知道我被拘禁的事情。 来自电影对白

3 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

4 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

5 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

7 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

8 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

9 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

11 indicted   

控告，起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The senator was indicted for murder. 那位参议员被控犯谋杀罪。
• He was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of murder. 他被大陪审团以两项谋杀罪名起诉。

12 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

13 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

14 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。