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A Turkish court ruled to keep in prison the patron and philanthropist Osman Kavala, who has now been behind bars for four years without a trial or conviction. The arrest, which will be held at a minimum until mid-January, has already pitted Ankara against Washington, while the current decision comes days before the ultimatum that the Council of Europe gave Turkey for its release expires.
Turkey’s decision to keep the patron and philanthropist Osman Kavala in prison, behind bars since 2017, paves the way for the Council of Europe to initiate an infringement procedure against the country.
Last September, the Council, a 47-member human rights bloc, warned Ankara of the release of Kavala. A notice in compliance with a judgment of the European Court of DD. H H. that has been demanding it since 2019, but that expires this November.
Turkey, a country that has been a member of the organization since 1950, therefore risks a sanction process. What this November 26 has not stopped a Turkish court from deciding to extend the preventive detention of the also activist and businessman, after a vote of two votes to one.
The Kavala trial, which risks a life sentence, has been criticized for being politically motivated and symbolizing the crackdown on dissent under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
However, his government rejects the accusations and ensures that the courts are independent. A position that contrasts sharply with the West and with organizations that defend rights.
“This trial is another brazen episode in the relentless political persecution for which the European Court has condemned Turkey (…) When a state shows such disregard for its obligations under the European convention on human rights, the Council’s committee of ministers Europe must take action and initiate infringement procedures, “emphasized Nils Muižnieks, Amnesty International’s director for the continent.
Who is Osman Kavala and what does Turkey accuse him of?
Kavala is a Paris-born businessman of Turkish descent, currently 64 years old. He has been accused of allegedly funding nationwide anti-government protests in 2013 and helping orchestrate a coup attempt against Erdogan three years later.
The activist claims that he is not responsible for the charges, which would carry life in prison without the possibility of parole. For everything, he has been imprisoned since 2017 without having been sentenced.
In fact, Kavala was acquitted in February 2020 of the alleged crimes related to the Gezi protests in 2013, but the ruling was overturned and linked to charges for the attempted coup.
Kavala himself refused to attend this Friday’s hearing, reporting that his process is politicized. He said his presence via video link from Silivri prison in Istanbul was “nonsensical” and that a fair trial “is no longer possible.”
The hearing was attended by his wife, also a philanthropist Ayse Bugram, who said: “My greatest fear is that we will normalize this. And we should not.”
What sanctions could Turkey receive?
The process could lead to the suspension of Turkey’s voting or membership rights, something that would further isolate Ankara, threatening its key link with Europe.
The decisions of the European Court are binding on its members, but, if that weren’t enough, this petition dates back to 2019.
The European court assures that the imprisonment of Kavala aims to silence him, with alleged crimes that are not supported by evidence. However, the Turkish authorities indicate that the activist is being detained in accordance with the rulings of his judiciary.
Despite international requests, the Turkish authorities insist on his detention, which is expected to last until at least mid-January.
Last month, when ambassadors from ten countries, including the United States, Germany and France, demanded Kavala’s immediate release, Erdogan threatened to expel the envoys before backtracking on the decision to keep him imprisoned.
Turkey’s fractured relations with the West are largely due to criticism of its human rights record, since the failed coup in 2016, in which 250 people were killed. His foreign policy has also often pitted him against other NATO members.
With Reuters and AP
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