Turkey's top court rules Kavala's rights not violated -Anadolu (updated)
29/12/2020 10:31
(Adds details, background)
ANKARA, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Turkey's top court on Tuesday
ruled that high-profile philanthropist Osman Kavala's detention
had not violated his right to liberty and security, state media
said, after he spent more than three years in jail without a
conviction.
Kavala, 63, has been jailed since late 2017 and was remanded
earlier this month at a hearing that Human Rights Watch called a
"show trial" that silences dissent. The European Court of Human
Rights (ECHR) has called for his release. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2IY0VJ
Immediately after he was acquitted in February of charges
related to nationwide protests in 2013, Kavala was arrested
again on charges related to a failed coup in 2016.
Kavala had applied to the Constitutional Court earlier this
year claiming his detention was unlawful and therefore violated
his right to liberty and security.
But the General Assembly of the Constitutional Court ruled
it did not amount to a violation, state-owned Anadolu news
agency reported.
Kavala has rejected all charges.
Critics say his detention points to political pressure on
Turkey's judiciary, which they say has been bent to punish
thousands of the government's perceived opponents since 2016.
The government says courts are independent and it has acted in
the face of threats to the country.
President Tayyip Erdogan's recent pledges of judicial
reforms have prompted speculation that Kavala and others may be
released. But Erdogan has since singled out Kavala, calling him
the sponsor of the Gezi Park protests in 2013 - despite courts
clearing him of that accusation.
The ECHR called in December 2019 for his release and said
his detention aimed to silence him. But the ruling has not been
implemented, as has often been the case related to Turkish
courts.
The trial related to the 2016 coup attempt opened earlier
this month, when the court kept Kavala jailed and set the next
hearing for Feb. 5 at which it will hear another witness.
(Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Jonathan Spicer)
((ali.kucukgocmen@thomsonreuters.com , @alikucukgocmen;
+905319306206; Reuters Messaging: Reuters Messaging:
ali.kucukgocmen.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))