‘New indictment against Osman Kavala constitutes the denial of law’

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In a statement released by the Solidarity Network for Human Rights Defenders, it is stressed that the new indictment against businessperson and rights defender Osman Kavala constitutes "the denial of law."

"Thus, a new phase of Osman Kavala's unjust and unlawful detention has commenced," the platform has protested and called on the authorities to "and drop all baseless, unlawful, and unjust charges against him.

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Referring to the new indictment, the rights organizations have said, "There is no doubt that these allegations against Osman Kavala will be proven to be baseless, just like the previous ones" and briefly added:

'Allegations defy domestic law, universal legal values'

"It is because this bill of indictment, which is even beyond being 'unlawful,' constitutes the denial of law. These allegations themselves defy domestic law and universal legal values.

"The court seems to have violated all the basic principles of law by accepting this bill of indictment, which contains no concrete evidence, is based on assumptions made with political prejudices, and makes hypothetical inferences by mentioning disconnected events one after another.

'His detention is a political decision'

"This bill of indictment proves once again that the detention of Osman Kavala is not a necessity of law enforcement, but a political decision.

"While all the actions listed in the bill of indictment constitute the exercise of legal, legitimate, and human rights within the framework of NGO activities, Osman Kavala has been detained in an unlawful, unreasonable, illogical, and unconscionable manner by considering these actions an offense.

"The bill of indictment does not in any way refer to Kavala's acquittal in the Gezi Park case or the binding judgment of the ECtHR, which found a violation, and disregards the situations and evidence in favor of Osman Kavala by ignoring the basic ethical rules of the profession of prosecution.

"On the contrary, it attempts to intervene in the judicial process carried out before another judicial authority regarding the Gezi Park events, and the Prosecution covers this issue in detail in the bill of indictment, even though it has no duty or authority.

'You cannot make him look guilty'

"It is unacceptable that Osman Kavala's detention and severe unjust treatment continues with new judicial processes and new bills of indictment issued with the thought of 'Let's take our chance,' despite the judgment of the ECtHR, which ruled that the detention on the Gezi protests and the coup attempt is unlawful; the call of Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe for the immediate termination of his ongoing detention; and the acquittal decisions and orders of release issued in his favor.

"As human rights defenders, we repeat, 'You cannot make Osman Kavala look guilty.' There is no evidence that will justify the investigation against Osman Kavala, let alone his deprivation of his liberty for 1079 days.

"Turkey must act to fulfill its obligation to enforce the ECtHR's judgment and heeding the call of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, release Osman Kavala immediately, and drop all baseless, unlawful, and unjust charges against him."

(HA/SD)