'Osman Kavala' statement by 8 Human Rights Ambassadors

Click to read the article in Turkish

Facing charges of "espionage", arrested businessperson and rights defender Osman Kavala will have his second hearing today (February 5).

Ahead of today's hearing, the Human Rights Ambassadors or Estonia, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom (UK) have released a joint statement.

The statement has been shared on social media by the ambassadors, including Bärbel Kofler, the Human Rights Ambassador of Germany.

The continued imprisonment of #osmankavala in #Turkey is politically motivated and goes against judgements of the European Court of Human Rights.

Full statement by eight European Human Rights Ambassadors here. ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????#StandUp4HumanRights pic.twitter.com/vYx5yjvKKa

— Bärbel Kofler, MdB (@BaerbelKofler) February 4, 2021

'It is a clear violation of his human rights'

Noting that "Kavala's ongoing detention raises serious questions about the rule of law in Turkey," the ambassadors briefly stated the following:

"His ongoing pre-trial detention, for more than three years, is a clear violation of his human rights. The continued negative developments regarding the rule of law, human rights and the judiciary in Turkey are of great concern to us. Turkey's civil society,which is becoming increasingly constrained, can count on our continued solidarity.

'Implement the binding ECtHR judgements'

"Osman Kavala, founder of the Turkish cultural foundation Anadolu Kültür, has been in prison since October 18, 2017. On December 10, 2019, the European Court of Human Rights determined that Kavala's prolonged pretrial detention was politically motivated and in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights and called for his immediate release.

"Before his court hearing on February 5, European Human Rights Ambassadors call on Turkey to ensure the immediate release of Kavala, and the fair and transparent conduct of his trial in line with international obligations. We also call on Turkey to implement binding ECHR judgments."

9 countries have Human Rights Ambassadors

After Sweden appointed a Human Rights Ambassador in the 1980s, nine European countries now have "Human Rights Ambassadors" at their ministries of foreign affairs, which symbolizes their commitment to human rights. While France is also one of the countries with a human rights ambassador, he or she is not a signatory to the above joint statement.

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(HA/SD)