European Court frees Turkish activist Osman Kavala

European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ordered Turkey to immediately release activist and philanthropist Osman Kavala, who has been detained for nearly a decade.

Kavala was sentenced to life behind bars in 2022 on charges tied to the 2013 Gezi Park protests and the 2016 failed coup attempt, widely regarded by rights groups as politically motivated.

The court ruled that his continued detention violated his rights to a fair trial, freedom of expression and association, calling the measures “extrinsic and aimed at punishment” for his role as a human rights defender.

The ECHR also found that Kavala’s aggravated life sentence amounted to “inhuman and degrading treatment”.

This decision exposes a "systemic problem" in Turkey, with “structural shortcomings” undermining judicial independence and impartiality, the court said.

Turkey’s government insists its courts are independent, but failure to comply with earlier ECHR rulings raises doubts about the rule of law in Ankara.

Amnesty International’s Eve Geddie called the obstruction of justice a threat to both civil society and the broader democratic fabric, urging immediate and unconditional release.

Kavala’s predicament is emblematic of the challenges facing civil‑society actors in Turkey, a group that often drives grassroots environmental and climate initiatives.

The ruling may prompt a meeting of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers and could lead to sanctions if Turkey ignores the ECHR’s directive.

For more details, read the court ruling.