A Turkish court has ruled that philanthropist Osman Kavala should remain in prison, extending his four-year detention without conviction, in a trial that continues and has further strained Ankara’s relations with its Western allies.
The trial is believed to be politically motivated and a sign of the crackdown on dissent under President Tayyip Erdogan. The government rejects the criticism and says Turkey’s courts are independent.
Last month, Erdogan threatened to expel the ambassadors of ten countries, including the ambassadors of the United States, Germany and France, who reiterated a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that Kavala should be released.
The court ruled by a majority that Kavala should remain in prison for the duration of his trial. He scheduled the next hearing for January 17, adding that he would assess his imprisonment on December 23.
Kavala, which monitors the hearing process via video link, did not participate in today’s proceedings.
His wife, opposition lawmakers and diplomats from some of the ten embassies involved in the controversy were in a crowded courtroom in Istanbul. Στην πλατεία έξω από το δικαστήριο είχαν αναπτυχθεί δεκάδες αστυνομικοί με εξάρτυση κατά των διαδηλώσεων και οχήματα με αντλίες νερού.
Deniz Tolga Aitor, Kavala’s lawyer, said he supported his client’s decision not to take part in the hearing, saying his right to a fair trial was being violated.
Kavala was acquitted last year in connection with protests across the country in 2013 centered on Gezi Park in Istanbul, but the decision was overturned this year and combined with charges in another case over a 2016 coup attempt. He denies that he did anything reprehensible.
Aitore said Kavala’s request for his release was rejected in connection with the 2013 protests, while his arrest was based on espionage charges in connection with the 2016 coup attempt.
He also cited contradictions in the accusations with statements by officials refuting the allegations made in the indictment.
Kavala, 64, is on trial along with 51 other defendants in a combination of three separate cases related to the 2013 protests and the 2016 coup attempt against Erdogan and his government.
The ECtHR requested the release of Kavala at the end of 2019 in the absence of a reasonable suspicion that he had committed a crime, deciding that he was arrested in order to be silenced.
The Council of Europe has said it will launch infringement proceedings against Turkey if Kavala is not released. The process could lead to Turkey’s expulsion from the Council of Europe.
European Union officials have said that a possible deepening of economic relations with Ankara, including the upgrading of the customs union, depends on progress in the field of human rights and the rule of law in Turkey.
State Department: Turkey to release Osman Kavalas immediately
The State Department expresses Washington’s concern about the slippage of democratic rights and freedoms in Turkey. Asked by Hellas Journal about the extension of the detention of philanthropist Osman Kavala, a US State Department spokesman again called on Ankara to comply with the EU Court of Human Rights ruling and release him immediately. It is recalled that the Turkish court decided on Friday to extend the four-year detention of Osman Kavalas, despite the fact that he has not been convicted.
As the State Department spokesman noted, “We remain deeply concerned about the continuing allegations against civil society, the media, politicians, business leaders in Turkey and their prolonged detention. The rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association are fundamental to any healthy democracy. The US again calls on Turkey to release (Osman) Kavala immediately. The fraudulent charges against him, his continued detention and the ongoing delays in the completion of the trial, including through the merging of cases against him, undermine respect for the rule of law and democracy.
We continue to urge Turkey to respect these fundamental freedoms and to bring the matter to a speedy and fair settlement. “We urge Turkey to comply with the EU Court of Human Rights ruling on unconditional release and to ensure a fair, transparent and speedy resolution of the case.”
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