Osman Kavala
Osman Kavala | |
---|---|
Born | Paris, France[1] | 2 October 1957
Citizenship | Turkey |
Education | Middle East Technical University in Ankara, University of Manchester in UK; The New School for Social Research in New York City |
Organization | Anadolu Kültür |
Known for | Philanthropy |
Spouse |
Mehmet Osman Kavala (born 2 October 1957) is a Turkish economist, businessman,
On 25 April 2022, a court sentenced him to life in prison.[4]
In October 2023, Kavala was awarded the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize.[5]
Early life and education
Kavala comes from a family of tobacco traders.[6] His family moved from Northern Greece to Turkey in the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey.[6] Kavala was born in Paris in 1957[1] He attended Robert College in Istanbul. Kavala studied management at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara and economics at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, subsequently enrolling in PhD program at The New School for Social Research in New York City but returning to Istanbul upon his father's death in 1982.[6] After his father's death, he took over the family-owned enterprise Kavala Companies.[7]
Publishing activities
Starting with the early 1980s, Kavala has contributed to the establishment of several publishing companies in Turkey. Following the coup d'état in 1980, in 1983, he co-founded the publishing house İletişim Yayınları.[8][9] In 1985, he co-founded Ana Publishing with Nazar Büyüm and Selahattin Beyazıt, which published AnaBritannica (the Turkish version of Encyclopædia Britannica), Britannica Compton's, and Temel Britannica.[10] Kavala is currently a member of the board of directors at Aras Publishing.[11]
In the acknowledgements of his 2018 book Talaat Pasha: Father of Modern Turkey, Architect of Genocide, historian Hans-Lukas Kieser states that Kavala's assistance was "critical to my successfully starting the research".[12]
Civil society activities
Since the 1990s, Kavala has contributed to numerous
Since 2002, he has spent much time working for the charitable foundation Anadolu Kültür, of which he is the founder[8] and current chair.[15] Anadolu Kültür runs cultural centers in underdeveloped regions of Turkey and fosters cultural cooperation with countries in the Caucasus and Balkan regions as well as those in the European Union. The organization supports local, regional, and international collaborations in arts and culture, and promotes for the protection and preservation of cultural heritage.[16] Its vision is to contribute to a pluralist and democratic society.[17] Its initiatives include Diyarbakir Arts Center (2002–ongoing), Kars Arts Center (2005–2009), and Depo in Istanbul—hosting exhibitions, talks, screenings, and workshops.
Kavala was a founding member of the
Peace talks between PKK and Turkish Government
In 2013, Prime Minister
Arrest and court case
On 18 October 2017 Osman Kavala was detained at the
On 1 November 2017, he was arrested on both Article 309 and Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code.
Related to Article 312 or the Gezi Park Trial as it is referred to in the press, a criminal indictment seeking life imprisonment for Kavala and 15 other people, including journalist Can Dündar and actor Memet Ali Alabora, was accepted on 4 March 2019 by the Istanbul 30th Heavy Penal Court.[29] The indictment accuses the defendants of forming the mastermind behind the scenes of the Gezi Park protests, which is characterized as an "attempt to overthrow the government through violence" in this document.[30] The indictment also alleges that philanthropist George Soros was behind the conspiracy.[31] The trial was to begin on the 24 June 2019.[32] The verdict in the so-called Gezi Trial was only delivered on the 18 February 2020, when Kavala was acquitted.[33]
On 18 February 2020, hours after his acquittal on Article 312, the chief prosecutor of Istanbul demanded the continued detention of Kavala due to Article 309, although Istanbul prosecutor's office had ordered him released on a pre-trial release judgment on Article 309 on 11 October 2019.[34] On 19 February 2020, he was arrested once again for Article 309.[35] He was acquitted from Article 309 on 20 March 2020.[36]
On 9 March 2020, Kavala was arrested on Article 328 ("securing information that, due to its nature, must be kept confidential for reasons relating to the security or domestic or foreign political interests of the State, for the purpose of political or military espionage").[28][37] This arrest happened only one day before the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights about Kavala's pretrial detention demanding his release became final on 10 March.
Osman Kavala has been in
International reaction
French politician Daniel Cohn-Bendit, in a public letter to Osman Kavala on 29 March 2018, wrote, "I try to understand the reason behind your arrest, but I cannot apprehend it. (...) It is difficult to conceive the reason behind it. (...) I am convinced that democracy will triumph, and we will soon be able to toast to our common future by the Bosporus. I am waiting for you in Frankfurt".[39]
European Court of Human Rights about Kavala's pretrial detention became final on 10 March. This ruling stated that there was no sufficient evidence to support the accusations against Kavala and that "the prosecution’s attitude could be considered such as to confirm the applicant’s assertion that the measures taken against him pursued an ulterior purpose, namely to reduce him to silence as an NGO activist and human-rights defender, to dissuade other persons from engaging in such activities and to paralyse civil society in the country." It also requested that the Turkish Government "take every measure to put an end to the applicant’s detention and to secure his immediate release."[40]
Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth stated that "The immediate re-arrest of Osman Kavala in another bogus investigation after his acquittal on trumped-up charges for the Gezi Park protests shows how Turkey’s criminal justice system is politically manipulated, with detention and prosecutions pursued at the political whim of the president."[41]
After the decision released by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers’ on 3 September 2020, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Human Rights Watch, and the Turkey Human Rights Litigation Support Project demanded that Turkish authorities release Kavala immediately.[42] In September 2021, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe gave Turkey until December 2021 to release Kavala before beginning infringement proceedings against Turkey.[43] On 3 December 2021 Council of Europe (COE) says it will notify Turkey of its intention to launch "infringement proceedings" against the country over its failure to release philanthropist Osman Kavala.[44]
On 23 October 2021, the demand for Kavala's release was supported by ten embassies (Canada,
British human rights activist and journalist, William Nicholas Gomes wrote to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to immediately and unconditionally release Osman Kavala.[49] William Nicholas Gomes had sent this request via the Turkish Embassy in London, United Kingdom.[50]
Personal life
Kavala married Ayşe Buğra in 1988.[6] Buğra is professor of political economy at the Ataturk Institute of Modern Turkish History of Boğaziçi University in Istanbul.
See also
References
- ^ a b "2020 Laureate Osman Kavala". Hrant Dink Foundation.
- S2CID 212804714
- ^ "Ayşenur Zarakolu Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards Granted for 17th Time". Bianet.
- ^ bbc.com: Osman Kavala: Turkish activist sentenced to life in prison
- ^ "2023 Václav Havel Prize awarded to imprisoned Turkish human rights defender Osman Kavala". Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
- ^ International Peace and Reconciliation Initiative (IPRI): „Osman Kavala, Founder/Partner“ Archived 2017-10-25 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ a b "About Osman Kavala, the founder of Anadolu Kültür | Announcements | Anadolu Kültür". About Osman Kavala, the founder of Anadolu Kültür | Announcements | Anadolu Kültür. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
- ^ "İletişim Yayınları'ndan Osman Kavala açıklaması". CNN Türk (in Turkish). Retrieved 2020-03-28.
- ^ "'Dönüp Baktığımda' çıktı". Agos. 4 Haziran 2018. Erişim tarihi: 18 Mart 2020.
- ^ "Yılın Yayınevi Aras Yayıncılık Archived 2020-03-28 at the Wayback Machine". Aras Yayıncılık. 15 Ocak 2019. Erişim tarihi: 18 Mart 2020.
- ISBN 978-1-4008-8963-1.
- Lay summary in: Kieser, Hans-Lukas. "Pasha, Talat". 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War.
- ^ "Restoran'dan Sanata". Nokta. Yıl: 3. Sayı: 14. 14 Nisan 1985. S. 59.
- ^ "Dostları Mustafa Kemal Ağaoğlu'nu Anıyor". Bianet. 14 Ekim 2009. Erişim tarihi: 18 Mart 2020.
- ^ "About Us | Anadolu Kültür". About Us | Anadolu Kültür. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
- ^ SÖNMEZ, Yücel. "En değerli mirasın peşinde..." hurriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ "Hakkımızda: Anadolu Kültür". Anadolu Kültür (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ Candid. "Open Society Foundations to End Operations in Turkey". Philanthropy News Digest (PND). Retrieved 2020-03-28.
- ^ a b Payzin, Sirin (19 July 2019). "Turkish government trying to blame Gezi Park protest on 'foreign actors', says imprisoned civil society leader". openDemocracy. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ^ a b Gursel, Kadri (2018-11-05). "Still no charges for Turkey's top philanthropist after year behind bars". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
- ^ "Öcalan's prerequisite, the prime minister's prerequisite". Hürriyet Daily News. 2013-03-02. Archived from the original on 2013-03-04. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
- ^ Yetkin, Murat (3 October 2021). "Erdoğan'ın Kavala ve Demirtaş'la olan sorununun kökeni". Yetkin Report (in Turkish). Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ Kaplan, Hilal (5 September 2015). "The curious case of Osman Kavala". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ Öztürk, Hasan (21 January 2022). "Kavala, Çözüm Süreci'ni bitirmek için Demirtaş'ı tetikçi olarak kullanmış olabilir mi". Yeni Şafak (in Turkish). Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Detained tycoon Osman Kavala linked to FETÖ coup attempts". Daily Sabah. 2017-10-25.
- ^ "Osman Kavala Arrested for Three Times as Part of the Same Investigation". March 10, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
- ^ a b c "PENAL CODE OF TURKEY" (PDF). Legislation Online. February 15, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 2, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
- ^ "Gezi Indictment Against 16 People Including Osman Kavala Accepted". Bianet. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- ^ "Osman Kavala, 15 Rights Defenders Facing Life Sentence Over Gezi Park Protests". Bianet. 20 February 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- ^ "Turkey: Baseless Charges Over Landmark 2013 Protests". Human Rights Watch. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- ^ "Gezi trial interim decision: Kavala once again remains in detention". Ahval. Based in London, but operating from several countries: Ahval (news portal). 18 July 2019. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
- ^ TM. "İstanbul court acquits all defendants including Kavala in Gezi Park trial – Turkish Minute". Retrieved 2020-02-18.
- ^ "Turkey orders continued detention of philanthropist Kavala following acquittal". Al-Monitor. 2020-02-18. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
- ^ "Türkiye: Önde Gelen Sivil Toplum Lideri, Beraat Ettikten Sonra, Yeniden Tutuklandı". Human Rights Watch (in Turkish). 2020-02-20. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
- ^ Şafak, Yeni (2020-03-20). "Kavala'ya 'darbe' suçlamasından tahliye kararı". Yeni Şafak (in Turkish). Retrieved 2020-04-03.
- ^ "Osman Kavala's defense counsel made a statement following the spying accusation: "The state should find itself another pastime!"". Observatoire de la Turquie Contemporaine. 2020-03-10. Archived from the original on 2021-10-20. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
- ^ "Osman Kavala Arrested for Three Times as Part of the Same Investigation". Bianet. March 10, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
- ^ A letter from Daniel Cohn-Bendit to Osman Kavala: I am waiting for you in Frankfurt, Cumhuriyet, 29 March 2018.
- ^ "CASE OF KAVALA v. TURKEY". European Court of Human Rights. December 10, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
- ^ "HRW says re-arrest of Kavala shows 'how Turkish judiciary is politically manipulated'". www.duvarenglish.com. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
- ^ "Turkey: Release Osman Kavala". Human Rights Watch. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ^ "Turkey Pressed to Release 'Political Prisoners' or Face CoE Sanctions". Balkan Insight. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
- ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Osman Kavala: Council of Europe warns Turkey over jailed activist | DW | 03.12.2021". DW.COM. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
- ^ Pitel, Laura (2021-10-23). "Erdogan declares 10 western ambassadors persona non grata". Financial Times. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
- ^ "Turkey's Erdogan orders expulsion of 10 Western ambassadors". Al Jazeera. 23 October 2021. Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ "Turkey reverses threat to expel European ambassadors". Euronews. 25 October 2021. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ McKernan, Beth (25 October 2021). "Turkey backs down on threat to expel foreign ambassadors". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ @Wnicholasgomes (May 2, 2022). "Osman Kavala was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment in Turkey.@MevlutCavusoglu .…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Osman Kavala was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment in Turkey | News Ghana".
External links
- osmankavala.org (English)
- nytimes.com, 3 November 2017 / Dani Rodrik: A Good Citizen Jailed in Turkey (Opinion piece)
- openDemocracy.org, 3 November 2017 / Anthony Barnett: Osman Kavala, Turkish democracy on the anvil Archived 2018-03-01 at the Wayback Machine
- FAZ.net, 19 October 2017 / Karen Krüger: „Osman Kavala. Türkei verhaftet prominenten Kulturmäzen“
- Frankfurter Rundschau, 20 October 2017 / Frank Nordhausen: „Osman Kavala. Der ‚rote Soros‘“
- Statement by Osman Kavala at the 6th hearing of Gezi Trial, 18 February 2020
- Statement by Osman Kavala at the 5th hearing of the Gezi Trial, 28 January 2020
- Video interview with the Defense Counsel of Osman Kavala, Attorney Ilkan Koyuncu: The Acquittal Verdict and its Aftermath (with English subtitles)