Osman Kavala: ECHR's ruling will give strength to Turkish judges who abide by rule of law

Prominent philanthropist and rights activist Osman Kavala has evaluated the ECHR's ruling regarding Turkey's failure to release him, by saying that he believes the decision will give "strength to those members of the Turkish judiciary who continue to act in accordance with the rule of law despite political pressures."

Duvar English 

Turkish philantrophist and rights activist Osman Kavala has evaluated the European Court of Human Rights' (ECHR) recent ruling concerning him, saying that he believes the judgement will give "strength" to Turkish judges who "act in accordance with the rule of law." 

"I believe that this decision will give strength to those members of the Turkish judiciary who continue to act in accordance with the rule of law despite political pressures," he said in a statement released on July 12. 

"The decision of the European Court of Human Rights which was announced yesterday clearly revealed that the unlawful practice and political influences on the judiciary still continue and the laws are used in an arbitrary fashion with political motives," he said. 

In a ruling released on July 11, the ECHR found that the Turkish government failed to fulfill its obligations to release Kavala in accordance with the court's judgment of December 2019. The decision paves the way for the process that can lead to Ankara's suspension from the Council of Europe (CoE).

In February, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE), which oversees the implementation of the rulings by the ECHR, had asked the court to look at the Kavala case before moving further with the infringement process against Turkey.

Man discovers massive Roman mosaic floor while gardening Turkish man dies by suicide after murdering two women on same day Turkey lifts visa requirement for six countries Record number of resident foreigners leave Turkey in 2023 Turkey's stray dogs rehomed abroad following new street clearance law Women in Turkey take to streets over brutal femicides