Trial against philanthropist and dozens resumes in Turkey

ISTANBUL — The proceedings against salient Turkish civilian rights fig Osman Kavala resumed Monday — the 1539th time of his pre-trial detention — without his participation.

The proceeding is taking spot arsenic a Jan. 19 Council of Europe deadline that could trigger infringement procedures looms. The European Court of Human Rights ruled successful 2019 that Kavala’s rights had been violated and ordered his release. But Turkey has repeatedly refused to bash so, astir precocious successful a proceeding successful precocious December.

Philanthropist Kavala, who is successful Silivri situation connected the outskirts of Istanbul, said successful October helium would nary longer be the proceedings via videoconference due to the fact that helium nary longer had religion that helium volition person a escaped trial.

Kavala, 64, is accused of financing nationwide anti-government protests successful 2013 and helping orchestrate a coup effort 3 years later. He denies the charges, which transportation a beingness condemnation without parole.

He was acquitted successful February 2020 of charges successful transportation with the 2013 Gezi Park protests. As supporters awaited his release, Kavala was re-arrested connected caller charges. The acquittal was aboriginal overturned and linked to charges relating to the 2016 coup attempt.

That proceedings is present portion of a merged lawsuit involving 51 different defendants, including fans of the Besiktas shot nine who were acquitted six years agone of charges related to the Gezi protests earlier that determination besides was overturned.

Taksim Solidarity, a radical defending the tiny Gezi Park successful cardinal Istanbul, said up of the proceeding the peaceful 2013 protests based connected law rights and demanding democracy, could not beryllium tarnished done the judiciary.

Recently, Kavala’s lawsuit besides caused a diplomatic situation betwixt Turkey and 10 Western countries, including the United States, France and Germany, aft they called for his release.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan openly disdains Kavala, accusing him of being the “Turkish leg” of billionaire U.S. philanthropist George Soros, whom Erdogan alleges has been down insurrections successful galore countries. He threatened to footwear retired Western envoys successful October for meddling successful Turkey’s interior affairs.

The European Court of Human Rights’ 2019 determination said Kavala’s imprisonment aimed to soundlessness him and different quality rights defenders and was not supported by grounds of an offense.

The Council of Europe, a 47-member bloc that upholds quality rights, notified Turkey successful December that it intended to notation the lawsuit to the tribunal to find whether Turkey refused to abide by last judgments, which are binding. It called connected Turkey to merchandise Kavala instantly and reason the transgression procedures without delay. It asked Turkey to taxable its views by Jan. 19.