Turkey’s higher court of appeals confirms life imprisonment sentence for Osman Kavala, a civil rights activist

The recent developments in Turkey’s legal proceedings against civil rights activist and philanthropist Osman Kavala and other activists involved in the 2013 mass anti-government protests, known as the “Gezi Protests”, is on the agenda again.

GEZI PROTESTS, NAMED AFTER GEZI PARK IN ISTANBUL

The trial is named after Gezi Park in Istanbul, where the mass protests initially began in 2013. The protests evolved into a significant popular uprising against the practices of the administration headed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (PM at the time).

In 2022, Osman KAVALA and seven other activists were found guilty of attempting to overthrow the government through their involvement in the 2013 nationwide anti-government protests.

Verdict Upheld: Turkey’s top appeals court upheld a life sentence without parole for Osman Kavala and 18-year jail terms for four other activists who participated in the 2013 protests.

Overturned Sentences: The sentences of three other activists were overturned. These activists were initially convicted in the same trial.

REACTIONS AND CRITICISM FROM INT’L ORGANIZATIONS

The verdict and the trial have been criticized by human rights organizations, with Human Rights Watch’s Emma Sinclair-Webb describing the conviction as “baseless” and an abuse of the justice system.

INTERNATIONAL CONCERN

Both the US State Department and the European Union have expressed concern over the trial, viewing it as an attempt to stifle dissent in Turkey. The Council of Europe initiated infringement proceedings against Turkey for failing to release Kavala despite a European Court of Human Rights ruling.