Top Europe rights court to issue ruling on Kavala case on Dec 10

Duvar English

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is set to issue its ruling in the case into the prominent philanthropist and businessman Osman Kavala on Dec. 10.

Kavala, who has been in jail for over two years, is accused of being one of the “managers and organizers” of 2013 Gezi Park protests, which took place in Istanbul’s Taksim following harsh government response to a group of protesters trying to prevent the cutting down of trees for a large development project planned by the government.

He was arrested in 2017 on suspicion of attempting to overthrow the government and the constitutional order through force and violence. In addition to the charges related to the Gezi Park protests, Kavala also faces those related to the July 15, 2016 failed coup attempt.

According to a statement released by the ECHR, Kavala complained about the violation of his right to liberty and security during his initial and continued pre-trial detention, which he considers arbitrary.

In his application, Kavala also said that there was no evidence grounding a reasonable suspicion that he had committed a criminal offence necessitating his pre-trial detention.

Saying that Turkey's Constitutional Court did not comply with the requirement of "speediness," Kavala also complained about the limitation on the use of restriction on his rights.

"In particular, he submits that his placement in detention was intended to punish him as a critic of the government, to reduce him to silence as an NGO activist and human-rights defender, to dissuade others from engaging in such activities and to paralyze civil society in the country," the ECHR said.