Kavala's Detention After Release Order: Reactions from the World

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After a court acquitted businessperson Osman Kavala and ordered his release in the Gezi trial yesterday (February 18), İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued a detention warrant on him as part of another investigation related to the failed coup attempt in July 2016.

European politicians, representatives of international organizations and rights defenders have criticized the decision, calling on Turkey to release Kavala.

"We are aghast at the re-arrest of Osman Kavala, right after his acquittal. We call for swift clarification in compliance with all rule of law standards to which Turkey has committed," the German Federal Foreign Office said on Twitter.

We are aghast at the re-arrest of Osman Kavala, right after his acquittal. We call for swift clarification in compliance with all rule of law standards to which Turkey has committed. https://t.co/OdPaVjEabU

— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) February 18, 2020

'Madness'

Kati Piri, a member and the former Turkey rapporteur of the European Parliament, tweeted, "After 2,5 years innocently in jail he was acquitted this morning in the Gezi Trial from 2013, and then İstanbul prosecutor decides to re-arrest him for the coup attempt in 2016. Madness."

Incredible... no words for this insane and cruel turn in the case of #OsmanKavala

After 2,5 years innocently in jail he was acquitted this morning in the #GeziTrial from 2013, and then Istanbul prosecutor decides to re-arrest him for coup attempt in 2016.

MADNESS!!!

— Kati Piri (@KatiPiri) February 18, 2020

Thinking about Osman and his family. His wife, his mother, all his loved ones.

And Selahattin Demirtas & his family, living through the same nightmare.

And so many more others in Turkey who are unjustly in jail.

Today was clearly not the start of return to justice.

— Kati Piri (@KatiPiri) February 18, 2020

'The hope was very short-lived'

The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovic, said in a written statement that "The hope I felt yesterday with the acquittals and the decision to release Kavala, after 28 months spent in detention in complete violation of several human rights protected under the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as of the most elementary principles of legality and rule of law, was unfortunately very short-lived." 

"It is difficult not to note a similarity between this re-arrest and what happened in the cases concerning Ahmet Altan, Selahattin Demirtaş and Taner Kılıç, whose trial today I am also following very closely."

Carl Bildt, the former PM of Sweden and the Co-Chair European Council on Foreign Relations, shared his comments, quoting tweets by Piri and Mijatovic:

A society can not prosper and an economy not develop strongly if there is not a transparent and fair system of laws as well as an independent judiciary. That's the clear lesson of history. Turkey deserves no less. https://t.co/OGy411fk74

— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) February 19, 2020

This state of affairs in Turkey can not last for long! https://t.co/YJ26aqm5Mo

— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) February 18, 2020

'An absurd, cruel theater'

Human Rights Watch Turkey Director Emma Sinclair-Webb told Reuters that "We have seen Turkey's justice system turned into an absurd, cruel theatre."

She also noted the similarities between the cases of Kavala and Selahattin Demirtaş, the imprisoned former co-chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).

'Crackdown is far from over'

The Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) and the Freedom House released a joint statement on the issue:

"The two moves on Tuesday demonstrate the weaponization of the Turkish judiciary under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This Gezi case has been emblematic of the politically motivated and baseless criminal charges levied against human rights defenders and government critics in Turkey.

"The court's initial decision to accept an indictment with no evidence, and to proceed with the prosecution for over two years, is testament to the lack of due process. And the swift decision to issue a new arrest warrant for Kavala only hours after his acquittal shows the degradation of judicial independence in Turkey.

"Today's developments have shown once again that the crackdown against fundamental freedoms in Turkey is far from over. In order to guarantee basic and democratic rights for all citizens, Turkey must urgently work to restore judicial independence and return to the rule of law."

Peter Steudner, a rights defender from Germany who was arrested in Turkey in 2017, said that he was angry and sad for Kavala and he is in solidarity with Kavala and his family.

Lisel Hintz, a Turkey expert from the John Hopkins University in the US, said on Twitter that "I was so afraid of this I didn't want to even think it. I wanted to be positive, celebrate for once."

"But Turkey won't even give you that. Just acquitted in the Gezi trial, Osman Kavala now has a warrant against him in an investigation of the 2016 coup attempt."

I was so afraid of this I didn't want to even think it. I wanted to be positive, celebrate for once.

But Turkey won't even given you that. Just acquitted in the Gezi trial, Osman Kavala now has a warrant against him in an investigation of the 2016 coup attempt. Seviye bu mu?? https://t.co/AXo168Aa5C

— Lisel Hintz (@LiselHintz) February 18, 2020

(AS/VK)