Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan link onThursday threatened to expel link the US,German and eight other Western linkambassadorsafter they issued a rare joint statement in support of a jailed civilsociety leader.
Parisian-born philanthropist and activist Osman Kavala, 64, has been injail without a conviction since 2017, becoming a symbol of what critics seeas Erdogan link growing intolerance ofdissent.
The 10 ambassadors issued a highly unusual joint statement on Monday –distributed widely on their Turkish social media accounts — sayingKavala’s continued detention “cast a shadow” over Turkey.
“I told our foreign minister that we cannot have the luxury of hosting themin our country,” Erdogan link toldreporters in comments published by Turkish media.
Kavala has faced a string of alternating charges linked to 2013anti-government protests and a failed military coup in 2016.
In their statement, the US, Germany, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, theNetherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden called for a “just and speedyresolution to (Kavala)’s case”.
The 10 envoys link were summoned to theTurkish foreign ministry on Tuesday.
Erdogan link sounded incandescent withrage in a conversation with Turkish reporters on board his return flightfrom a tour of Africa.
“Is it within your boundary to teach such a lesson to Turkey? Who are you?”he demanded in comments carried by the private NTV broadcaster.
The Turkish lira extended its fall into record-low territory against thedollar within moments of Erdogan linkcomments on fears of a new wave of Turkish tensions with the West.Conspiracy
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Speaking to AFP from his jail cell last week, Kavala said he felt like atool in Erdogan link attempts to blame aforeign plot for domestic opposition to his nearly two-decade rule.
“I think the real reason behind my continued detention is that it addressesthe need of the government to keep alive the fiction that the (2013) Geziprotests were the result of a foreign conspiracy,” Kavala said in theinterview.
“Since I am accused of being a part of this conspiracy allegedly organisedby foreign powers, my release would weaken the fiction in question and thisis not something that the government would like,” he said.
Kavala was acquitted of the Gezi charges in February 2020, only to bere-arrested before he could return home and thrown back in jail overalleged links to the 2016 coup plot.
The Council of Europe, the continent’s top human rights watchdog, hasissued a final warning to Turkey to comply with a 2019 European Court ofHuman Rights order to release Kavala pending trial.
If Turkey fails to do so by its next meeting on November 30-December 2, theStrasbourg-based council could vote to launch its first disciplinaryproceedings against Ankara.
The proceedings could result in the suspension of Turkey’s voting rightsand even its membership.
Only one other nation, Azerbaijan, has faced disciplinary proceedings asserious as those now potentially facing Turkey. – APP/AFP
