President Erdogan’s statement from Kavala: What the ECHR and the Council of Europe have said, does not concern us

President Tayyip Erdogan criticized the decision of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on Osman Kavala. Kavala, who has been detained in Silivri Prison for 1556 days, was ordered to be released by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) after a violation of rights decision. Despite this decision, the Council of Europe had given him time to submit his opinion by January 19, 2022, reminding the decision on the sanctions procedure against Turkey due to Kavala’s non-release.

Finally, the Committee of ministers, the political organ of the Council of Europe, voted for the second stage of the procedure it had initiated for Turkey at its meeting yesterday, and the transfer of the file to the ECHR was accepted by a majority of votes.

Speaking to reporters at Esenboga Airport in Ankara before his visit to Ukraine, Erdogan expressed that he would not recognize the decision. The President noted: “I am saying clearly, we will not recognize those who do not recognize our courts. There is a decision that our courts have made on this issue. What the ECHR has said, what the Council of Europe has said about it, is not of much interest to us. We expect our own courts to be respected. And I’m sorry we will not respect those who don’t feel this respect (for our courts)”