The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on Aug. 25 that Turkish businessman and philanthropist Osman Kavala, who has been imprisoned over the 2013 Gezi Park protests, must be immediately released and awarded compensation for non-pecuniary damage.
Kavala has been behind bars since 2017 and was sentenced to life imprisonment in April 2022 for allegedly attempting to overthrow the government by financing street demonstrations.
The ECHR’s Grand Chamber, composed of 17 judges and serving as the court’s appellate body, delivered its ruling on Aug. 25 following Kavala’s second application to the court.
The court found that Türkiye had violated six articles of the European Convention on Human Rights during Kavala’s prosecution.
It said Kavala must be released without delay in order to remedy the consequences of the violations.
The court also ordered Türkiye to pay Kavala compensation for the non-pecuniary damage he suffered.
In its initial ruling on Dec. 10, 2019, the ECHR had already found that Kavala’s detention violated the European Convention and explicitly called on Türkiye to end his imprisonment and secure his “immediate release.” The ruling became final in May 2020.
