Letters to Osman Kavala

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Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and Republican People’s Party (CHP) MPs, rights defenders, journalists and artists have prepared a diary for imprisoned businessperson and Anadolu Kültür (Anatolia Culture) Executive Board Chair Osman Kavala.

Ömer Madra, Gencay Gürsoy, Osman Baydemir, Nurcan Baysal, Nesrin Nas, Füsun Ertuğ, Derya Tolgay, Ayşe Erzan, Nadire Mater, Yasemin Bektaş, Binnaz Toprak, Zeynep Tanbay, Abdullah Demirbaş, Servet Demir, Hülya Karapınar, Cihangir İslam, Mustafa Paçal, Nesim Ovadya İzrail, Gürhan Ertür, Hacer Ansal, Viki Çiprut, Oya Baydar, Ayşenur Arslan, Tuğrul Eryılmaz, Lale Mansur, Şanar Yurdatapan, Hüsnü Okçuoğlu, Hasip Kaplan, Kadir Akın, Turhan Önalan, Serdal Kuyucuoğlu, Hasan Cemal, Gülseren Onanç, Nurten Ertuğrul, Nesteren Davutoğlu, Nazar Büyüm, Ferhat Tunç wrote their messages on the notebook.

Some of the messages are as follows:

Dear Osman,

The only positive side of this unjust imprisonment is probably to know how many beloved ones you have. History has the final word. Many loves.

Binnaz Toprak

We are waiting with hope : ) Is the answer in the wind?

Silivri / Derya Tolgay

Dear Osman,

If you weren’t held accountable for World War II, it is because you are not old enough. Hope to see you at the meetings as soon as possible. With love and solidarity…

Hacer Ansal

My dear brother Osman,

Today is December 20, 2017. We gathered and came to visit you.

Don’t you worry!

In the end, democracy and freedom will triumph.

This world shall not be left to despots! We long to see you again.

Hasan Cemal

Dear Osman,

I am sending you love as passing by the Store. You receive it, right? We came here but they didn’t let us in. You come out and let us meet and hug. Many loves.

Nadire Mater

Mr. Osman,

Injustices will definitely end in Turkey. Seeking law, justice and democracy has been continuing for years in our country and many people pay the price for it.

In some period, this struggle becomes more violent. We will come through this struggle that has intensified in the recent years.

We will continue to struggle without losing hope.

Serdal Kuyucuoğlu

CHP Mersin MP

What happened?

Anadolu Kültür Executive Board Chair, human rights advocate and businessperson Osman Kavala was taken into custody in the evening hours on October 18 at İstanbul Atatürk Airport upon his return from a meeting of a project planned to be realized in cooperation with Goethe Institute in Antep.

He was targeted by some pro-government newspapers following his detention.

Speaking at the weekly group meeting of his party, President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan referred to Kavala as the "Soros of Turkey", mentioning his name and said:

"Some try to deflect the truth by means of praises attributed to him such as 'He was a good citizen, a media member, an NGO representative'. The identity of this figure called 'Soros of Turkey' has been uncovered. That was his name that came up in Consulate General [investigation]. All connections have surfaced. And there is the same person behind the incidents in Taksim. You see those people again behind funds transfer to certain places. Who are you trying to fool?"

His detention also sparked criticism on international level.

US thinker and professor in linguistics, Noam Chomsky, United States Department of State Spokesperson Heather Nauert and European Parliament Rapporteur for Turkey Kati Piri denounced Kavala's detention and demanded that he be released immediately.

On October 31, a group of 35 academics, writers and researchers coming together under the guidance of the European Network on Political Group Analysis Jean-François Bayart, addressed an open letter to President Erdoğan for Kavala's release.

About Osman Kavala

Kavala was born in Paris in 1957. He graduated from Department of Economy at Manchester University.

He has been working as executive at Kavala Group since 1982.

He participated in the foundation of Turkey's one of the most prominent publishing houses, İletişim Publications, with Murat Belge.

He served as member of administrative boards of business institutions and NGOs such as Turkey-Poland Business Council, Turkey-Greece Business Council, and Center For Democracy in Southeast Europe.

Kavala is a member of Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) Administrative Board, Open Society Institute Consulting Board, and supporter of Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, History Foundation and Diyarbakır Culture House.

(EA/TK)