Rights activist Osman Kavala marks seven years in prison

Duvar English

Nov. 1 marked the seventh anniversary of the Turkish government’s arrest of Osman Kavala, a prominent Turkish philanthropist and civil society leader.

In a letter, Kavala said he had been behind bars although the ECHR ruled that there was no evidence to suggest that he had engaged in criminal activity.

“The laws were manipulated to bypass the ECHR’s decision and overturn the acquittals. An espionage charge was fabricated, entirely inconsistent with the legal definition of this crime. This charge was also politically exploited; the practices of enemy law, which disregard the human rights and the lives of those deemed ‘other’, were reinforced. In this way, although it was known that I had no involvement in any act of violence, I was given the heaviest sentence; and in the same vein, four other individuals arrested in the Gezi trial were sentenced to 18 years in prison,” he said.

“It is a source of consolation for me that Gezi Park, which introduced me to trees from the earliest memories of my life and taught me the importance of sharing public spaces with others, continues to be a park enjoyed by citizens of all ages and backgrounds,” he added.

“However, the true consolation for me will be seeing a progress toward the rule of law in my country. I believe that this will happen and that I will be able to feel that I am truly free,” Kavala concluded.

Kavala was arrested in 2017 on charges that he helped to plan the 2013 Gezi Park protests in Turkey. He was cleared of these charges in February 2020 but immediately arrested on charges that he orchestrated the July 2016 coup attempt, seen at the time as a way of getting around the ECHR's 2019 ruling that called for his immediate release.

In April 2022, an Istanbul court sentenced Kavala to aggravated life in prison without parole on charges of attempting to overthrow the government in the Gezi Park trial.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan previously said they will not respect ECHR’s decision, triggering proceedings which could result in Turkey's suspension from the Council of Europe, of which it is a founding member.

The verdict was seen as symbolic of a crackdown on dissent under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the punishment of the government's perceived foes through the judiciary. All have denied the charges, saying the protests developed spontaneously.