US ‘deeply troubled’ as Kavala’s life sentence upheld

ISTANBUL

The United States has said it has been “deeply troubled” by the ruling of a Turkish appellate court upholding the conviction of Paris-born businessman and activist Osman Kavala.

“His unjust conviction is inconsistent with respect for human rights and the rule of law. We again call on Türkiye to release Osman Kavala,” said Vedant Patel, a spokesman with the U.S. State Department.

Kavala was sentenced to life in jail without the possibility of parole in April on the charge of trying to topple the government by financing street protests in 2013.

Seven others were jailed for 18 years each for aiding the attempt to overthrow the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was the prime minister back then, during the Gezi Park rallies in Istanbul.

The appellate court ruled that the April verdict “complied with the law.” The defense can still appeal the case in the Supreme Court.

Germany also demanded his immediate release.

Kavala was first charged with funding the wave of 2013 protests. A court acquitted and released him in February 2020, only for the police to arrest him before he had a chance to return home to his wife.

Another court then accused him of being involved in a failed 2016 coup attempt in which more than 250 died in Istanbul and Ankara. Kavala ultimately ended up facing both sets of charges.

The court ultimately convicted the philanthropist of the same set of charges he had been cleared of in 2020.