Turkey tells CoE Kavala case runs in due process of law

ANKARA

Turkey has notified the political body of the Council of Europe (CoE) that a case against Turkish businessman Osman Kavala is continuing in due process of law and the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the case have been implemented.

Ankara on Jan. 19 sent its official response to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which voted in early December 2021 in favor of launching an infringement process against Turkey for not releasing Kavala from the prison despite the ruling of the ECHR.

Kavala, a businessman and civil society activist, has been in jail for more than four years on the charges of financing the 2013 Gezi protests and playing a role in the 2016 coup attempt. He is the only jailed suspect of the Gezi and Çarşı cases, which were combined in 2020. Although Kavala was acquitted of charges over the Gezi protests, his detention continued because of other charges against him.

According to private broadcaster NTV, Turkey’s official response was prepared by the Justice Ministry and conveyed to Strasbourg, where the Council of Europe has its main offices, via the Foreign Ministry. The response noted that Turkey had implemented a ruling by the ECHR on Kavala but the court had decided to extend his imprisonment because of other charges against him.

A heavy panel court in Istanbul denied Kavala’s appeal for release in the latest hearing on Jan. 17.

The Committee of Ministers will review Turkey’s response at a meeting on Feb. 2 and send it to the ECHR for further assessment.