Turkish philanthropist Kavala denies coup charges in new trial (updated)
18/12/2020 13:48
* Kavala acquitted in 2013 protests' trial earlier this year
* Western allies have raised concern about his detention
* Erdogan has pledged judicial reform but criticised Kavala
(Adds details, lawyer, colour)
By Ali Kucukgocmen
ISTANBUL, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Turkish philanthropist Osman
Kavala, who has been held in jail for three years without
conviction, denied charges of involvement in a 2016 attempted
coup at the start of a new trial on Friday.
Ankara's Western allies have raised concerns about Kavala's
detention and the European Court of Human Rights has said his
detention serves to silence him. After President Tayyip Erdogan
last month promised judicial reforms, rights activists and
opposition politicians redoubled calls for his release.
Immediately after he was acquitted in February of charges
related to nationwide protests in 2013, Kavala was arrested
again - on charges related to the failed 2016 coup.
"None of the charges in this indictment are based on any
facts, evidence or objective evaluation of a concrete criminal
act," Kavala, 63, told a crowded Istanbul courtroom by video
link from prison.
The allegations "are in stark contrast to my world view,
ethical values and the goals of the projects carried out by the
civil society organizations under my supervision," he said.
His jail time was "mental torture," he said as his wife,
opposition politicians, foreign diplomats and rights groups
listened among a crowd which spilled out into the hallway.
Critics say the detention points to political pressure on
Turkey's judiciary, which they say has been bent to punish
thousands of the government's perceived opponents after the
failed coup. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2CM2MA
Erdogan's reform pledges have prompted speculation that
Kavala and others may be released, but the president said last
month he could never defend the philanthropist and called him
the sponsor of the Gezi Park protests in 2013 - despite courts
clearing him of that accusation. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2I80C6
NEW ACCUSATIONS
In the new indictment, Kavala is accused of collaborating
with Henri Barkey, a prominent Turkey scholar in the United
States. The indictment accuses Barkey of links to the network of
U.S.-based Turkish Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, which Ankara
accuses of orchestrating the coup.
Gulen denies involvement in the coup attempt.
Kavala and Barkey are charged with attempting to overthrow
the constitutional order, for which a conviction carries a life
sentence without parole, and with espionage, which could lead to
20 years in jail.
Barkey has rejected the charges as a "complete fabrication".
The indictment says Kavala and Barkey spoke by phone on Oct.
8, 2016, nearly three months after the July 15 failed coup. It
says that many times between 2013 and 2016, signals on Barkey
and Kavala's phones came from the same area and that they met at
an Istanbul restaurant on July 18, 2016.
Barkey told Reuters by email in October that the two ran
into each other at the restaurant and chatted briefly. He said
their phones could have been in the same area of a crowded city
at other times without them meeting. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2H02WM
Deniz Tolga Aytore, Kavala's lawyer, told the court the
indictment was unlawful and political.
"For 3-1/2 years they have sought a crime for Osman Kavala"
while keeping him in jail, he said.
(Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Jonathan Spicer,
Giles Elgood and Timothy Heritage)
((ali.kucukgocmen@thomsonreuters.com , @alikucukgocmen;
+905319306206; Reuters Messaging: Reuters Messaging:
ali.kucukgocmen.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))