ECHR orders Turkey to immediately release philanthropist Osman Kavala
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The European Court of Human Rights ordered Turkey on Tuesday to immediately release imprisoned philanthropist Osman Kavala. The Strasbourg court ruled that his life sentence for attempting to overthrow the government is legally void and that Turkey violated multiple articles of the European Convention on Human Rights. Turkey was also ordered to pay Kavala 110,000 euros in compensation.
Key Facts
- The European Court of Human Rights ruled on 25 August 2026 that Turkey must immediately release Osman Kavala and pay him 110,000 euros in compensation.
- The court found that Turkey violated Kavala's rights to freedom of expression and to a fair trial under the European Convention on Human Rights.
- Kavala was arrested in Istanbul in 2017 and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in April 2022 for attempting to overthrow the government.
- The ECHR stated that Turkey's refusal to release Kavala despite its 2019 ruling undermines public trust in the judicial system.
The ECHR Ruling
The European Court of Human Rights ruled on 25 August 2026 that Turkey must immediately release Osman Kavala, who is serving a life sentence. The court declared the Turkish conviction for attempting a coup legally void and found violations of the right to freedom of expression and the right to a fair trial. Turkey was ordered to pay Kavala 110,000 euros in compensation. The presiding judge said the prosecution was aimed at punishing Kavala for his role in the 2013 Gezi Park protests and silencing him as a human rights defender. The court referenced its 2019 decision that Kavala's detention lacked concrete evidence and said the Turkish trial contained serious shortcomings.
Kavala's Detention and Trial
Osman Kavala, a businessman and philanthropist, was arrested in Istanbul in 2017 on charges of financing and organizing the 2013 Gezi Park protests. In February 2020, a court acquitted him of those charges, but prosecutors issued a new arrest warrant the same day over alleged involvement in the July 2016 coup attempt and espionage. In April 2022, an Istanbul court dropped the espionage charges for lack of evidence but sentenced Kavala to life imprisonment without parole for attempting to overthrow the government. Seven other defendants received 18-year sentences for aiding the alleged coup attempt, and none admitted guilt. Kavala is imprisoned in Silivri, about 70 kilometers from Istanbul.
Kavala's Cultural Work and Recognition
In 2002, Kavala founded the Anadolu Kültür arts and culture foundation in Diyarbakır, which supports projects in disadvantaged regions. The foundation has collaborated with the Goethe-Institut and promoted cultural exchange between Turkey and Europe. Kavala received the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize in October 2023 and the Goethe Medal in 2025.
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ECHR orders Turkey to immediately release philanthropist Osman Kavala
