The release of Osman Kavala was demanded by the President of the European Parliament David Sassoli, stressing that expelling 10 ambassadors from Turkey is a sign of a turn towards authoritarianism on the part of the Turkish government.
The expulsion of ten ambassadors is a sign of the authoritarian drift of the Turkish government. We will not be intimidated.
Freedom for Osman Kavala.
– David Sassoli (@EP_President) October 23, 2021
” We will not be intimidated, “he added in a Twitter post.
This was preceded by a statement by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said that he had instructed the Turkish Foreign Ministry to declare 10 ambassadors “persona non grata” who demanded the release of Osman Kavala.
Erdogan accused the diplomats of” obscenity “and said that” they must leave here if they do not understand Turkey. ”
#BREAKING Necessary instructions given to foreign minister for declaring 10 ambassadors persona non grata (after statement on Kavala case), says President Erdogan
– ANADOLU AGENCY (@anadoluagency) October 23, 2021
The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned the ambassadors of these countries, accusing them of interfering in the Turkish judicial system.
Two days ago, speaking about Osman Kavala – an issue that is causing new turmoil in relations between Turkey and the West – the Turkish president called for the expulsion of ambassadors from ten countries, including the United States, Germany and France, who signed a joint treaty calling for the release of the 64-year-old Turkish businessman.
As he characteristically put it: “Did the European Court of Human Rights decide this? They want to condemn Turkey because of this follower of Soros named Kavala. “Why are these ten ambassadors making such statements? I told our Foreign Ministry that we do not have the luxury of receiving them in our country. Is it your business to give a lesson to Turkey? Who you are? Leave Kavala. Do you leave murderers, terrorists and bandits in your own countries? “
Turkish businessman, human rights activist and philanthropist Osman Kavala was arrested in 2017 on charges related to the 2013 protests against deforestation in Gezi Park in Turkey. He was acquitted in this case, and then charged with participation in a coup attempt in 2016. He denies the charges against him.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in 2019 demanded the release of Kavala, believing that the court did not have enough evidence to support the charges. The ECHR also concluded that the arrest of the businessman was carried out in order to silence him.
In 2020, charges related to the 2013 protests were dropped from him, but the decision was later overturned and the case was again merged with the coup proceedings.
In January 2021, the Court of Appeal overturned the first acquittal. If Osman Kavala is now convicted on charges of espionage, he faces life imprisonment. The next hearing in the Kavala case is scheduled for November 26.
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