Turkey summons 10 ambassadors after call for philanthropist's release (updated)
18/10/2021 23:48
(Recasts after ambassadors summoned)
ISTANBUL, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Turkey's foreign ministry
summoned the ambassadors of 10 countries, including the United
States, Germany and France, over a statement calling for the
urgent release of philanthropist Osman Kavala, state-owned
Anadolu agency said on Tuesday.
The statement, shared by some of the embassies on Monday,
called for a just and speedy resolution to Kavala's case, four
years after he was jailed, saying the case "cast a shadow over
respect for democracy."
Kavala, a businessman, has been in jail in Turkey for four
years without being convicted, despite the European Court of
Human Rights calling for his release https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/council-europe-start-infringement-proceedings-against-turkey-if-philantropist-2021-09-17.
He was acquitted last year of charges related to nationwide
protests in 2013, but the ruling was overturned this year and
combined with charges in another case https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkish-court-opens-re-trial-merged-gezi-protest-cases-2021-10-08
related to a coup attempt in 2016. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N2N8139 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2R41UB
Rights groups have described the trials against Kavala as
symbolic of a crackdown on dissent under President Tayyip
Erdogan.
"The continuing delays in his trial, including by merging
different cases and creating new ones after a previous
acquittal, cast a shadow over respect for democracy, the rule of
law and transparency in the Turkish judiciary system," the
embassies said in the statement.
"Noting the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights on
the matter, we call for Turkey to secure his urgent release,"
the statement said.
The other countries named in the statement were Canada,
Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland and New
Zealand.
In response, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Turkey is
a democratic state of law. "Ambassadors making a recommendation
and suggestion to the judiciary in an ongoing case is
unacceptable," he said on Twitter https://twitter.com/suleymansoylu/status/1450170257671430148?s=20.
"Your recommendation and suggestion cast a shadow on your
understanding of law and democracy," Soylu said.
Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said diplomats need to
respect laws and ambassadors cannot make suggestions to courts.
The Council of Europe has said it will begin infringement
proceedings against Turkey if Kavala is not released.
urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2QJ15O
The next hearing in the case against Kavala, who has denied
all charges, and others will be held on Nov. 26.
(Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Giles Elgood and
Karishma Singh)
((ali.kucukgocmen@thomsonreuters.com , @alikucukgocmen;
+905319306206; Reuters Messaging: Reuters Messaging:
ali.kucukgocmen.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))