Turkey: prolongation of detention of Osman Kavala displays contempt for human rights and the rule of law

Source:Council of Europe Date:02Sep2021

Yesterday’s decision of the Istanbul 13th Assize Court to prolong the detention of Mr Osman Kavala perpetuates the violation of both his human rights and of Turkey’s obligation to abide by a final judgment of the European Court of Human Rights.

Mr Kavala has been in detention for 46 months despite a judgment of the European Court of Human Rights from December 2019 which found that the authorities had targeted him in pursuit of the ulterior purpose of reducing him to silence, and that the proceedings against him  were likely to have a dissuasive effect on the work of human rights defenders.