Osman Kavala Nominated for Václav Havel Human Rights Prize

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Behind bars for 950 days, businessperson and rights defender Osman Kavala has been nominated for Václav Havel Human Rights Prize.

Kavala has been nominated by linguist, historian and human rights activist Noam Chomsky, philosopher Prof. Etienne Balibar, member of the European Parliament Rebecca Harms, Former Co-Chair of Germany's Greens Party Cem Özdemir, Vice President of the European Parliament Dimitrios Papadimoulis, human rights defender - lawyer Jennifer Robinson, lawyer Sarah Leah Whitson, retired ambassador Ingmar Karlsson and member of the Parliament of Greece Prof. Dimitris Kairidis.

The group has explained Kavala's contribution to the cause of human rights and, thus, reason for his nomination for the prize, briefly as follows:

'He deserves international recognition, support'

"On April 18, 2020 Osman Kavala completed his 900 days in a Turkish jail, without a single concrete, legal, substantiated charge against him. Actually he is in jail just because of his relentless efforts and dedication to the human rights in Turkey and abroad.

"In a country marred by authoritarianism, sectarian conflict, profoundly flawed justice system, draconian curbs on free expression and fundamental human rights, he has been a steadfast defender of those seeking to establish a just society where all the peoples of Turkey can live together in peace and prosperity, in full knowledge of their intertwined cultural and political histories.

"The injustice he has been subjected to seems to be closely related to his prominence in civil activism. He looks as though he has been selected to be the scapegoat. His arrest constitutes a warning and an intimidation to all who would dare to challenge the authoritarian regime of President Erdoğan.

"Osman Kavala deserves international recognition and support. The Václav Havel Human Rights Prize would certainly be the ultimate recognition and support for him and the civil society of Turkey."

About Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize

The Václav Havel Human Rights Prize is awarded annually by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, in partnership with the Václav Havel Library and the Charta 77 Foundation for outstanding civil society action in the defence of human rights in Europe and beyond.

The prize is awarded in memory of Václav Havel, a Czech statesperson, writer and former dissident, who served as the last President of Czechoslovakia from 1989 until the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1992 and then as the first President of the Czech Republic from 1993 to 2003. As a writer of Czech literature, he is known for his plays, essays, and memoirs.

The candidates of the prize should have made a significant difference to the human rights situation of a given group, been instrumental in uncovering large-scale systemic violations, or have successfully mobilised public opinion or the international community for a cause.

Since 2013,Václav Havel Human Rights Prize has been awarded in turn to Ales Bialiatski (Belarus), Anar Mammadli (Azerbaijan), Ludmilla Alexeeva (Russian Federation), Nadia Murad (Iraq), Murat Arslan (Turkey) and Oyub Titiev (Russian Federation). Last year, the Prize was awarded jointly to imprisoned Uyghur intellectual Ilham Tohti from China and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), which brings together young people from across the Balkans to promote reconciliation.

About Osman Kavala

Taken into custody in October 18, 2017, Osman Kavala was arrested for "coup-plotting" as per the Articles 309 and 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) on November 1, 2017. Acquitted of this charge, he is now behind bars on charge of "espionage" as per the Article 328 of the TCK. (RT/SD)