Kavala was acquitted of financing and organizing large-scale anti-government demonstrations in 2013, known as the Taksim Square protests. But the acquittal was promptly replaced by new charges related to sponsoring the 2016 coup attempt.
Human rights groups dismissed the charges against him as unfounded, and urged the committee of ministers overseeing the European Court of Human Rights to initiate illegal proceedings against Turkey, a rare measure that could lead to the court’s suspension.
On Tuesday, the fourth anniversary of the assumption of Mr. Kavala, issued the letter. To me, the abuses in his case “overshadow the respect for democracy, rule of law and transparency in the Turkish legal system.”
The statement was signed by the ambassadors of Germany, France, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, in addition to the ambassadors of the United States, Canada and New Zealand.
Britain – next month will host the Climate Change Conference, COP26, with more than 160 world leaders, including Mr. Erdogan – The message was not signed.
In his comments on Saturday, Mr Erdogan appears to have left some room for negotiation. “They should know and understand Turkey,” he said of the diplomats. “The day they don’t, they will leave.”
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