Turkish court says releases US pastor Andrew Brunson

The Turkish court ruling that released a U.S. pastor on Friday was proof of the independence of the Turkish judiciary, an official for Turkey's presidency said.

"It is with great regret that we have been monitoring U.S. efforts to mount pressure on Turkey's independent court system for some time," Fahrettin Altun, the presidency's communications director, said.

"Like the Turkish courts, the Republic of Turkey does not receive instructions from anybody, authority, office or person. We make our own rules and make our own decisions that reflect our will," Altun said in a statement.

The court sentenced Andrew Brunson to three years and 1-1/2 months in prison on terrorism charges but said he would not serve any further jail time. The pastor, who has lived in Turkey for more than 20 years, was put in prison two years ago and has been under house arrest since July.