Turkey summons German envoy in row over Kavala verdict

ANKARA

Turkey on April 29 summoned German ambassador over a row sparked by a Turkish court’s decision to sentence businessman Osman Kavala to life in prison.

A heavy panel court in Istanbul sentenced Kavala to life in jail on April 25 on charges of trying to overthrow the government by supporting the Gezi protests and playing a role in the 2016 coup attempt. Seven other defendants were sentenced to 18 years in prison over the same charges.

Earlier, Christofer Burger, a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry, said Turkey’s envoy to Berlin was summoned for talks Friday morning. Turkey retaliated by summoning German Ambassador Juergen Schulz.

A senior Turkish official told Schulz that Ankara "rejected attempts to interfere in the Turkish judiciary and politics.''

Official also said that the conviction of the independent Turkish judiciary cannot be questioned by any institution, authority, or country.