ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the International Commission of Jurists have condemned a “bogus” new indictment against philanthropist and businessman Osman Kavala, imprisoned in Turkey since 2017.
New charges brought against Kavala and US academic Henri Barkey earlier this month are “politically motivated and bereft of legal credibility,” according to a statement published Monday.
The new indictment accuses Kavala and US academic Henri Barkey of espionage and “attempting to overthrow constitutional order of Turkey.” The former is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and the latter by life in prison without parole.
The first court hearing is scheduled for December 18.
The organisations said the new indictment shows Turkey’s “blatant refusal” to abide by a European Court of Human Rights ruling which ordered Kavala’s release in May, and puts him at risk of further human rights violations.
“The indictment recycles unsubstantiated accusations” and provides “no credible evidence,” HRW said.
“The new case against Osman Kavala and Henri Barkey demonstrates the Turkish authorities’ flagrant misuse of the courts for political ends and their fundamental disregard for the basic principles of criminal justice,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
Kavala was accused of fomenting the so-called Gezi Park protests in 2013, but when he was acquitted on those charges in February, he was immediately re-arrested over claims he was involved in the coup.
The Council of Europe called for Kavala’s release in September.
"The Turkish authorities have until November 2020 to submit an action plan setting out the general measures to be taken to prevent similar violations of the human rights convention occurring in the future," it said.
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