Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala, who was sentenced to life in jail for attempting to overthrow the federal government by financing protests in 2013, stated on Wednesday that the ruling violated authorized requirements and mirrored political stress on the court docket.
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An Istanbul court docket sentenced Kavala final week, in a case that Europe’s prime court docket and Western powers say is politically motivated.
The European Courtroom of Human Rights (ECHR) and Ankara’s Western allies together with Washington have known as for an finish to Kavala’s detention.
“The choice is bigoted, and brought in violation of authorized norms beneath political stress,” Kavala stated in a press release.
Nations together with the US, France and Germany see the ruling as an try by President Tayyip Erdogan’s authorities to silence opponents.
International Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu advised reporters on Tuesday that the West had centered on the sentence because of its funding for and “use” of the human rights activist.
“Ankara understands the reactions to the sentencing of Kavala. The particular person they’ve funded and used has gone to jail,” Cavusoglu stated.
Talking two days after the decision, Erdogan known as Kavala the George Soros of Turkey, referring to the US billionaire philanthropist, and the coordinator of the 2013 Gezi protests.
Kavala denies being behind the protests and being funded by Soros. The protests started as small demonstrations in an Istanbul park and snowballed into nationwide anti-government unrest.
“There have been makes an attempt to justify the court docket resolution with statements claiming I’m supported by Soros. It’s a easy proven fact that I didn’t arrange the Gezi protests,” Kavala stated in his assertion.
“It’s futile to hyperlink Soros or every other exterior actor to the truth that a whole lot of hundreds of our fellow residents took to the streets in opposition to antidemocratic practices with a way of justice, demanding freedom,” he stated.
“The Gezi trial unveiled the state of the judiciary, additional exposing the nice hazard posed to fellow residents by manipulation of the judiciary in such phrases,” Kavala stated.
Learn extra:
Germany summons Turkish envoy over Kavala verdict
Erdogan says Turkish courts proved independence by convicting Osman Kavala
US ‘deeply troubled’ by ‘unjust’ conviction of Turkish activist Kavala: State dept
