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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday threatened to expel a number of western diplomats who called for the release of philanthropist Osman Kavala earlier this week.
The president said Turkey does not have the “luxury” of hosting the ambassadors of the United States, Canada, France, Finland, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden, who on Monday issued a joint statement in support of Kavala.
The diplomats had said the continual detention of the 64-year-old activist has “cast a shadow over respect for democracy, the rule of law and transparency in the Turkish judiciary system.”
They were summoned by the Turkish foreign ministry the next day, reported state media.
“Why do 10 ambassadors make this statement? Those who defend this Soros leftover are trying to get him released,” Erdogan told journalists accompanying him to Africa, referring to renowned billionaire and conspiracy theory target George Soros whom Erdogan claims Kavala has ties with.
“I told our Minister of Foreign Affairs [Mevlut Cavusoglu] that we do not have the luxury to host them [the 10 ambassadors] in our country. Is it your place to teach such a lesson to Turkey? Who are you? … They want us to release Kavala. Do you release the bandits, murderers, or terrorists in your own country? America, Germany, which one has ever done such a thing? They didn't and they won't,” he added, reported Haberturk.
He claimed that Turkey’s judiciary “gives the best example of independence.”
The Parisian-born philanthropist was arrested in November 2017 on charges of overthrowing the constitutional order of Turkey and espionage. He was accused of financing a 2013 protest in Istanbul and was acquitted, but was re-arrested and charged with taking part in the 2016 attempted coup against President Erdogan.
The European Court of Human Rights in 2019 ordered Turkey to release Kavala pending trial and the Council of Europe has warned Ankara to comply with the ruling or it would launch disciplinary proceedings. In a recent interview with AFP, Kavala said the Council of Europe is his best hope for release.
The president said Turkey does not have the “luxury” of hosting the ambassadors of the United States, Canada, France, Finland, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden, who on Monday issued a joint statement in support of Kavala.
The diplomats had said the continual detention of the 64-year-old activist has “cast a shadow over respect for democracy, the rule of law and transparency in the Turkish judiciary system.”
They were summoned by the Turkish foreign ministry the next day, reported state media.
“Why do 10 ambassadors make this statement? Those who defend this Soros leftover are trying to get him released,” Erdogan told journalists accompanying him to Africa, referring to renowned billionaire and conspiracy theory target George Soros whom Erdogan claims Kavala has ties with.
“I told our Minister of Foreign Affairs [Mevlut Cavusoglu] that we do not have the luxury to host them [the 10 ambassadors] in our country. Is it your place to teach such a lesson to Turkey? Who are you? … They want us to release Kavala. Do you release the bandits, murderers, or terrorists in your own country? America, Germany, which one has ever done such a thing? They didn't and they won't,” he added, reported Haberturk.
He claimed that Turkey’s judiciary “gives the best example of independence.”
The Parisian-born philanthropist was arrested in November 2017 on charges of overthrowing the constitutional order of Turkey and espionage. He was accused of financing a 2013 protest in Istanbul and was acquitted, but was re-arrested and charged with taking part in the 2016 attempted coup against President Erdogan.
The European Court of Human Rights in 2019 ordered Turkey to release Kavala pending trial and the Council of Europe has warned Ankara to comply with the ruling or it would launch disciplinary proceedings. In a recent interview with AFP, Kavala said the Council of Europe is his best hope for release.
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