World

U.S. suspends non-immigrant visa services in Turkey

October 8, 2017 / 3:24 PM EDT / CBS/AP

ISTANBUL -- The U.S. said Sunday it was suspending non-immigrant visa services at its diplomatic facilities in Turkey, following the arrest of a consulate employee.

The U.S. Embassy in the Turkish capital of Ankara tweeted a statement from the U.S. Mission to Turkey saying that recent events have forced it to "reassess the commitment of the Government of Turkey to the security of U.S. Mission facilities and personnel."

This week, Turkish authorities arrested a U.S. Consulate employee of Turkish nationality for alleged links to the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen who the Turkish government blames for last summer's failed coup. Gulen denies involvement.

Metin Topuz is accused of espionage and "attempting to overthrow the Turkish government and constitution." Turkey's official Anadolu news agency reported this week that he allegedly communicated with former police chiefs in a 2013 corruption probe, 121 people involved in the attempted coup and hundreds of people using an encrypted mobile messaging application. The U.S. Embassy said it was "deeply disturbed" by the arrest.

The statement said the suspension of non-immigrant visa services was "effective immediately" to minimize visitor numbers to the U.S. Embassy and Consulate for now. The suspended services will affect business, tourism, medical treatment, student, exchange visitor, crew member, media and journalist, treaty trader, diplomatic and official visas.

U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson, who has lived in Turkey for over 20 years, has also been behind bars for a year for alleged links to Gulen. Last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the U.S. was pressing Turkey to return a "cleric" while refusing to hand over another "cleric."

In March, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with the pastor's wife, Norine Brunson, in Ankara to share the most recent details on her husband's case, CBS News White House and senior foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan reported.

"The Secretary ‎committed to staying in touch with Mrs. Brunson regarding the case moving forward," an official traveling with Tillerson told Brennan.

More than 50,000 people have been arrested and 110,000 have been fired from government jobs as part of a state of emergency declared after the failed coup.