Turkish court rejects U.S. pastor's appeal, upper court yet to rule - lawyer

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - One Turkish court has rejected an American Christian pastor's appeal to be released from house arrest and for his travel ban to be lifted, but an upper court is yet to rule on the appeal, his lawyer told Reuters on Wednesday.

Evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson is standing trial in Turkey over terrorism charges. His case now lies at the heart of a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and the United States that has sent Turkish lira into free-fall.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Daren Butler)