Germany and France reiterate their call for Osman Kavala’s release

* Photo: AA (Archive)

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In a joint statement, Germany and France have urged Turkey to enforce the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruling and demanded the immediate release of businessperson and rights defender Osman Kavala, who has been behind bars for 1,297 days as of today (May 20).

Germany's Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance at the Federal Foreign Office Barbel Kofler and France's Ambassador for Human Rights Delphine Borione issued the following joint statement yesterday (May 19):

"Osman Kavala has been behind bars for almost 1300 days, even though the European Court of Human Rights demanded his release a year and a half ago. Turkey's treatment of Osman Kavala and the non-implementation of the ECtHR judgment is not worthy of a state governed by the rule of law or with longstanding membership of the Council of Europe. We call on Turkey to urgently respect its international obligations and to release Osman Kavala without further delay."

What happened at the last hearing?

The monthly examination of the arrest of Osman Kavala, who is behind bars in Silivri Prison, was done with a hearing "due to the full lockdown measures" on April 30. At the hearing held at the İstanbul 30th Heavy Penal Court, the attorneys of Osman Kavala requested his release.

Examining the request of the attorneys and stating that the examination on file was completed, the court board has rejected Osman Kavala's request for release on the grounds of "the nature and quality of the crime, the existence of concrete evidence suggesting strong criminal suspicion and the inadequacy of judicial control measures."

The decision of continuation of arrest has been given by a majority of votes as one judge has expressed a dissenting opinion.

The judge has said that Kavala should be released "considering the possibility that the nature of the crime could change, that his statement of defense has been taken, that evidence has been collected to a considerable extent and the period he has already served behind bars." (PT/SD)