ANKARA — Turkey on Tuesday summoned the envoys of 10
countries, including
Germany and the United States, after they called for the
release of a civil society leader whose jailing has upset Ankara's relations
with the West.
اضافة اعلان
Parisian-born philanthropist and activist Osman Kavala, 64,
has been in jail without a conviction since 2017, becoming a symbol of
President
Recept Tayyip Erdogan's growing intolerance of dissent.
The Turkish activist faces a string of charges linked to
2013 anti-government protests and a failed military putsch in 2016. Kavala
denies the accusations.
In a statement Monday, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and the US called for a
"just and speedy resolution to his case".
"The continuing delays in his trial ... cast a shadow
over respect for democracy, the rule of law and transparency in the Turkish
judiciary system," they said.
The embassies called on Turkey to follow the rulings of the
Council of Europe, a human rights body it joined in 1950.
The Council of Europe has warned that it would launch
disciplinary proceedings against Turkey "in the event that (Kavala) is not
released before" the human rights body's next meeting on November
30-December 2.
Kavala's next court hearing is set for November 26.
The ambassadors and charge d'affaires arrived at the foreign
ministry in Ankara on Tuesday morning, the Turkish foreign ministry said in a
statement.
The diplomats were notified their statement
"overstepped boundaries" and "attempted to politicize the legal
process and pressure the judiciary,” the ministry said.
"They were told that the focus on only Turkey-related
court cases, especially Kavala's, insisting on keeping it on the agenda, was an
insincere approach filled with double standards."
'Not acceptable'
Multiple issues have weighed on Turkey's relations with the
West, especially Europe, including Ankara's crackdown on opponents after a
failed coup in 2016.
Tensions were also heightened by Turkey's energy exploration
in disputed eastern Mediterranean waters last year.
Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu hit out at the
embassies' statement late Monday.
"It is not acceptable for ambassadors to make a
recommendation or suggestion to the judiciary for an ongoing case," Soylu
said on Twitter.
"Your recommendation and suggestion throws a shadow
over your understanding of law and democracy."
Turkish Justice Minister
Abdulhamit Gul late Monday said
that "no ambassador had the right to make a recommendation or suggestion
to our courts" on Twitter.
"It is this ignorance of limits and boundaries that
throws a shadow over the rule of law," Gul said.
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