Turkey's Foreign Ministry summoned the ambassadors of 10 countries, including the United States, Germany and France, on Tuesday over what it said was an "irresponsible" statement that called for the urgent release of philanthropist Osman Kavala.
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The statement, shared by some of the embassies on Monday, called for a just and speedy resolution to Kavala's case, four years after he was jailed, saying the case "cast a shadow over respect for democracy."
The Turkish businessman has been in prison since late 2017 without being convicted, in what rights groups say is symbolic of a crackdown on dissent under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The European Court of Human Rights called for Kavala's immediate release in late 2019 over a lack of reasonable suspicion that he committed an offense, ruling that his detention served to silence him.
He was acquitted last year of charges related to nationwide protests in 2013, but the ruling was overturned this year and combined with charges in another case related to a coup attempt in 2016.
"The continuing delays in (Kavala's) trial, including by merging different cases and creating new ones after a previous acquittal, cast a shadow over respect for democracy, the rule of law and transparency in the Turkish judiciary system," the embassies said in the statement.
"Noting the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights on the matter, we call for Turkey to secure his urgent release," it said.
The other parties to the statement were Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland and New Zealand.
The ministry said it told ambassadors on Tuesday that it rejected the "unacceptable" statement aimed to pressure Turkey's judiciary and also politicize judicial processes.
"It was emphasized that Turkey is a democratic state of law that is respectful towards human rights and they were reminded that the Turkish judiciary would not be affected by such an irresponsible statement," it said.
The diplomats were warned that they should remain within their responsibilities as part of international agreements, the foreign ministry added.
Responding to the statement on Monday, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Turkey is a democratic and lawful state. "Your recommendation and suggestion cast a shadow on your understanding of law and democracy," he said on Twitter.
The Council of Europe has said it will begin infringement proceedings against Turkey if Kavala is not released. Turkey would be the second country against which infringement proceedings have been launched. read more
The next hearing in the case against Kavala, who has denied all charges, and others will be held on Nov. 26.
Former Turkish MP Aykan Erdemir, a senior director of the Turkey Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Israel Hayom that the Turkish Foreign Ministry's move was "embarrassing," saying that it indicated that "the Turkish government still subscribes to an archaic mentality that sees nation-states as having unrestricted authority to exercise power over their citizens in complete disregard for the binding norms resulting from international commitments.
"Just as Turkey and the global community have a legitimate right to protest the Assad regime's appalling human rights abuses in Syria, Turkey's Western allies have a right to remind Ankara of its obligations under numerous international treaties and conventions that demand respect for the rule of law and fundamental rights and freedoms.
"It is ironic that Ankara accused the Western diplomats of politicizing judicial proceedings, given Erdogan and various members of his government were at the forefront of slandering and defaming Kavala, preventing any chance of a free and fair trial under Turkey's politicized courts," Erdemir noted.
"Turkey's pro-democracy citizens not only welcome the call by the country's Western allies but also expect other democratic allies to demonstrate their solidarity with the Turkish people suffering at the hands of an authoritarian government."
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