A Turkish court acquitted on Tuesday several major figures of civil society, including the famous patron Osman Kavala, an unexpected decision following an emblematic trial of the human rights situation in Turkey.
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The court in Silivri, near Istanbul, acquitted the 16 accused " in the absence of sufficient evidence " to support the charges of " attempting to overthrow the government ". The accused were charged with their involvement in anti-government protests in 2013, known as the Gezi movement.
The court also ordered the release of Mr. Kavala, a businessman and philanthropist who has been imprisoned for more than two years in the context of this case, which has raised the grave concern of NGOs and Western countries about the situation. freedoms in Turkey. After the announcement of the decision, the dozens of people present in court to support the accused cheered. His imprisonment made Mr. Kavala the symbol of the repression orchestrated against civil society in Turkey, in particular since a 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan followed by massive purges.
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Mr. Kavala, a well-known figure in intellectual circles in Europe, was notably accused of having financed Gezi's movement against Mr. Erdogan, then Prime Minister. He risked life in prison. " Today's acquittals are the right decision. Osman Kavala's release was long overdue, "said Human Rights Watch representative Emma Sinclair-Webb in Turkey. “This whole affair has caused immense suffering to those who have been wrongly targeted, starting with Osman Kavala. It is a trial the sole purpose of which was to attack human rights defenders , ”she added.
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