Enlarge image
Osman Kavala in October 2021
Photo: Anadolu Culture Center / AFP
Turkish human rights activist Osman Kavala has been in prison without a sentence for more than four years.
Now an Istanbul court has decided that the cultural patron must be imprisoned for life.
The 64-year-old is accused of trying to destabilize the country.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ordered Kavala's release in December 2019, but the Turkish government is ignoring the decision.
EU rapporteur: Turkey will “not escape the consequences”
In December, the Council of Europe, of which Turkey is a member, initiated criminal proceedings against Ankara.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry called on the Council of Europe to refrain from any "interference" in its judicial affairs.
"It is difficult to understand why Turkey does not comply with the orders of the court, even though it is part of this jurisdiction," said Sánchez Amor.
Ankara will "not escape the consequences".
The dispute had already caused a diplomatic scandal in October 2021: because they had demanded Kavala's release, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan threatened ten Western ambassadors, including representatives of the USA, France and Germany, of interfering in Turkey's "independent judiciary « the expulsion.
Erdoğan only gave in at the last minute.
Kavala was originally arrested on charges of financing and organizing the 2013 anti-Erdoğan government Gezi protests in Istanbul.
In February 2020, a court acquitted him of this charge.
Kavala was released from prison, but arrested again a few hours later - this time in the context of the attempted coup against Erdoğan in 2016 and on allegations of espionage.
svs/Reuters/AFP
