A Turkish court has sentenced a leading philanthropist to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of “attempting to overthrow the government by force” in connection with the Gezi Park anti-government protests in 2013.
The court also handed out 18-year sentences to eight activists accused of assisting Kavala, ordering the immediate arrest of Mücella Yapıcı, Çiğdem Mater, Hakan Altınay, Mine Özerden, Can Atalay, Yiğit Ali Ekmekçi and Tayfun Kahraman.
An Istanbul court reached a verdict in the case on 2013 Gezi Park protests and sentenced Turkish businessman and philanthropist Osman Kavala to an aggravated life in prison for “attempting to overthrow the government of the Turkish Republic” and 8 defendants to 18 year prison for abetting the crime. Among them was 71-year-old architect Mücella Yapıcı, Istanbul Municipality urban planner Tayfun Kahraman and documentary filmmaker Çiğdem Mater.
They were sentenced in connection with the 2013 anti-government protests in Turkey, which began over a plan to turn a small park in central Istanbul into a shopping mall in the summer. The demonstrations quickly turned into larger anti-government rallies across Turkey.
Amnesty International: Devastating blow for human rights
Amnesty International called Monday’s ruling a “devastating blow” for human rights, saying that the court’s decision “defies all logic.”
“Today, we have witnessed a travesty of justice of spectacular proportions,” Nils Muižnieks, Amnesty International’s Europe director, said in a statement.
“This verdict deals a devastating blow not only to Osman Kavala, his co-defendants and their families, but to everyone who believes in justice and human rights activism in Turkey and beyond. The court’s decision defies all logic. The prosecuting authorities have repeatedly failed to provide any evidence that substantiates the baseless charges of attempting to overthrow the government. This unjust verdict shows that the Gezi trial was only an attempt to silence independent voices. This politically motivated charade has already seen Osman Kavala arbitrarily imprisoned for more than four-and-a-half years over his civil society activism. We continue to call for Osman Kavala’s and his co-defendants’ immediate release as they appeal these draconian verdicts.”
Kavala’s arrest has strained Turkish government relations with the West. Ten ambassadors, including representatives from the United States, France and Germany, released a statement asking for his freedom and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared them “persona non grata.”
‘Blatant contradiction of the international obligations’
Releasing a written statement, the spokesperson of the US State Department, Ned Price, said the US was “deeply troubled and disappointed” by the court verdict in the Gezi trial.
“We remain gravely concerned by the continued judicial harassment of civil society, media, political and business leaders in Turkey, including through prolonged pretrial detention, overly broad claims of support for terrorism, and criminal insult cases,” said Price.
Germany’s foreign minister Annalena Baerbock called the judgment a “blatant contradiction” of the international obligations Turkey is committed to as a member of the Council of Europe, according to a statement postedby Germany’s Federal Embassy on Monday. She also called for the immediate release of Kavala.
In February, Europe’s top human rights body, the Council of Europe, launched infringement procedures against Turkey for refusing to abide by a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, which called for Kavala’s release on grounds that his rights had been violated.
European Parliament Standing Rapporteur for Turkey Nacho Sánchez Amor and Sergey Lagodinsky, chair of the EU-Turkey Parliamentary Delegation, expressed solidarity with Kavala, the other defendants and their families in their statement.
“(This is a) very sad day not only for them but also for those who daily defend fundamental rights and the rule of law in Turkey and for all those who wish to see the country coming closer to the EU. This is obviously not the way to do it,” they said.
Upon the call of the Taksim Solidarity Platform, a protest demonstration was held in front of the Chamber of Mechanical Engineers affiliated with the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB).
‘Darkness passes, Gezi remains’
Gathering in front of the chamber’s building on April 26, the protesters carried banners that read, “Darkness passes, Gezi remains” and “We defend Gezi” as well as the pictures of those killed during Gezi.
Chamber of Architects’ İstanbul Branch Chair Esin Köymen read out the press statement on behalf of the Taksim Solidarity. Köymen said:
“We have become a country where at least 3.5 million people according to the police minutes, namely millions of people who came to Gezi, expressed support, sent messages, brought food, set up an infirmary, built a library, prepared an earth table, sang, performed theater plays, danced and even hugged the trees are attempted to be scared with ‘aggravated life sentences’.”
“”Until this unlawfulness, this arbitrariness, this remorselessness, this hostility end, until our friends are released, until they are acquitted in these trials which will go down in the world’s legal history as a black mark, we will keep on struggling and not leave our friends alone.”
“We will continue to be the stubborn, naughty and challenging kids, women and youth of Gezi. This is just the beginning, the struggle will continue.”
Sources: CNN, Bianet, VOA