‘Freedom to Osman Kavala’ Protest in Opening Reception of İstanbul Biennial

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A protest of support has been staged in the opening reception of the 16th İstanbul Biennial for arrested businessperson Osman Kavala, who has been behind bars in Silivri Prison since November 1, 2017.

The reception was held in French Palace in İstanbul yesterday evening (September 10) with the participation of several artists and businesspeople. A group of people demanded freedom for Kavala by wearing shirts and bags with his photograph on them and applauding.

Attending the opening reception of another contemporary art museum named Arter by Koç Foundation the other day, artists who had shirts and bags with Osman Kavala's photograph on them also raised their demands of freedom and justice for Kavala.

Arter

Artists and workers of culture and art organizations have organized several events in solidarity with Kavala since his arrest to this day. Kavala's friends opened placards in front of Silivri Prison for several times before. They had their family photographs taken and followed his both hearings.

Similarly, as the art season was about to start in İstanbul, they prepared shirts, t-shirts and bags with Osman Kavala's photograph on them so that they could be worn in the opening ceremonies of İstanbul Biennial and concerns could be raised over his unjust arrest.

Speaking about their protest, artists said that their aim was to attract attention to the absence of Kavala in the biennial opening, which he would normally attend. "We are quite missing without him", artists said and added, "The season opens, we come together in these openings and chat, but there is something that is not normal, there is a huge unfairness, injustice."

On the other side, several artists indicated that they saw Kavala in the opening reception of previous İstanbul Biennial in September 2017.

Wearing shirts and t-shirts with Kavala's photograph on them, carrying bags with his photographs, sharing the pictures on social media and spontaneously coming together in the openings of Arter and Biennial, the artists aimed to draw attention to the absence of Osman Kavala.

Executive Board Chair of Anadolu Kültür Inc., human rights activist and businessperson Osman Kavala was taken into custody on October 18, 2017 and arrested on November 1, 2017. Referred to court to be arrested by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office without his deposition taken, Kavala was arrested by the İstanbul 1st Penal Court of Peace as per the Articles 309 and 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). Kavala had his first hearing on June 24, 2019 and second hearing on July 18. In both hearings, the court ruled that his arrest should continue. (AÖ/SD)