Demonstrators, including lawyers and opposition lawmakers chant slogans as they gather in front of Istanbul鈥檚 courthouse after verdict trial of jailed civil society leader Osman Kavala, in Istanbul on April 25, 2022. AFP
滨厂罢础狈叠鲍尝鈥�A Turkish court on Monday sentenced leading activist Osman Kavala to life in prison on controversial charges of trying to topple the government that had already seen him jailed without a conviction for more than four years.
The panel of three judges also jailed seven other defendants for 18 years each on the charge of aiding the attempt to overthrow then-prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan鈥檚 government during large-scale protests in 2013.
The ruling drew swift condemnation from some of Turkey鈥檚 main allies, as well rights campaigners 鈥� some of whom emerged from the packed Istanbul courtroom in tears.
Washington said it was 鈥渄eeply troubled鈥� by the 鈥渦njust鈥� conviction.
鈥淭he United States is deeply troubled and disappointed by the court鈥檚 decision,鈥� US State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.
Germany said the 64-year-old intellectual and campaigner must be 鈥渇reed immediately鈥�, while two leading European parliamentarians who coordinate ties with Ankara said the 鈥渞egrettable鈥� ruling showed there was 鈥渓ittle to no EU perspective for the current Turkey鈥�.
The bloc鈥檚 chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, condemned the sentence for ignoring orders for Kavala鈥檚 release from the European Court of Human Rights.
鈥淭oday, we have witnessed a travesty of justice of spectacular proportions,鈥� said Amnesty International鈥檚 Europe director Nils Muiznieks.
鈥楯udicial assassination鈥�
The Paris-born philanthropist told the court by video link from his high-security prison near Istanbul that he viewed the entire process as a 鈥渏udicial assassination鈥�.
鈥淭hese are conspiracy theories drafted on political and ideological grounds,鈥� Kavala told the court moments before the sentence.
The marathon hearing has been gnawing on Turkey鈥檚 strategic but tempestuous ties with its main Western allies since Kavala鈥檚 unexpected arrest in October 2017.
Kavala was then best known as a soft-spoken businessman who was spending part of his wealth to promote culture and projects aimed at reconciling Turkey and its arch-nemesis Armenia.
But Erdogan portrayed him as a leftist agent of the Hungarian-born US billionaire George Soros and accused him of using foreign money to try and overthrow the state.
鈥淲e can never be together with people like Kavala,鈥� Erdogan declared in 2020.
Alternating charges
Kavala was one of tens of thousands of Turks who were either jailed or fired from their jobs in purges that followed a bloody coup attempt against Erdogan when he was already president in 2016.
But the seemingly arbitrary nature of the alternating charges filed against Kavala made him a symbol for rights groups 鈥� as well as Western governments 鈥� of Erdogan鈥檚 increasing authoritarian streak in the second decade of his rule.
Kavala was first charged with funding the wave of 2013 protests that some analysts view as the genesis of Erdogan鈥檚 more authoritarian posture in the latter half of his 20-year rule.
A court acquitted and released him in February 2020 鈥� only for the police to arrest him before he had a chance to return home to his wife.
Another court then accused him of being involved in the failed 2016 putsch.
Kavala ultimately ended up facing both sets of charges, but Monday鈥檚 ruling only covered the case stemming from the 2013 unrest.
His treatment has prompted the Council of Europe to launch rare disciplinary proceedings that could ultimately see Turkey鈥檚 membership suspended in the continent鈥檚 main human rights grouping.
Muted by Ukraine war
Turkey鈥檚 increasingly popular opposition leaders seized on the verdict one year ahead of a general election that could severely test Erdogan鈥檚 political survival skills.
Erdogan鈥檚 likely chief election rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the secular CHP party, called the 2013 protests 鈥渁 national movement dedicated to solidarity, peace, brotherhood and democracy鈥�.
Istanbul鈥檚 politically ambitious opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, said the verdict 鈥渉urt the consciousness of millions of people鈥�.
Yet the case鈥檚 importance to Turkey鈥檚 broader diplomatic standing has been somewhat muted by Russia鈥檚 two-month war in Ukraine.
Erdogan has been leveraging his relatively good ties with both Moscow and Kyiv to try and mediate an end to the conflict.
His efforts have already brought about a marked improvement in Ankara鈥檚 relations with Washington that could soon see Turkey supplied with US military jets.
Monday鈥檚 hearing was held in Istanbul at the same time as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met Erdogan in Ankara before travelling to Moscow and Kyiv later in the week.
鈥淭he secretary-general expressed his support for Turkey鈥檚 ongoing diplomatic efforts in relation to the war in Ukraine,鈥� Guterres鈥檚 office said.
RELATED STORIES
Turkey to release thousands of prisoners over coronavirus
Turkey to expel US envoy and nine others, Erdogan says
Turkey and West climb down from brink of biggest diplomatic crisis
Biden talks F-16s, raises human rights at meeting with Turkey鈥檚 Erdogan