The Council of Europe has decided to start the violation process: Sanctions on Turkey are on the way

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has decided to initiate the infringement process against Turkey for not fulfilling the Osman Kavala decision of ECHR. According to ANKA, it was reported that in today’s vote the committee decided to start the violation process against Turkey. It was noted that the official result would be announced tomorrow.

Osman Kavala, a businessman who is being tried for “attempting to destroy the constitutional order” and “political and military espionage” has been detained in Silivri Prison for four years. He was not released at his hearing on 26 November 2021, against the decision of the European Court of Human Rights. The hearing was the first since last month, when President Erdogan of the AK Party threatened to expel the ambassadors of 10 countries who had called for Kavala’s release.

Turkey is a member of the 47-nation Council of Europe and is obliged to comply with the decisions of the ECHR in accordance with its national constitution. However, Ankara ignored some of the ECHR’s orders, including those related to the release of Kavala and the imprisoned politician Selahattin Demirtas.