Mr. Kavala was acquitted of charges of financing and organizing widespread anti-government demonstrations in 2013, known as the Taksim Square protests. But the acquittal was immediately replaced with new charges of sponsoring a 2016 coup attempt.
Human rights organizations have dismissed the charges he is facing as baseless and have urged the committee of ministers who oversee the European Court of Human Rights to begin infringement proceedings against Turkey, a rare action that could lead to its suspension from the court.
The ambassadors released the letter Tuesday, on the fourth anniversary of Mr. Kavala’s detention, saying the irregularities in his case “cast a shadow over respect for democracy, the rule of law and transparency in the Turkish judiciary system.”
The statement was signed by the ambassadors from Germany, France, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, in addition to those from the U.S., Canada and New Zealand.
Britain — the host next month of a climate change conference, COP26, with more than 160 world leaders, including Mr. Erdogan — did not sign the letter.
In his remarks on Saturday, Mr. Erdogan did appear to leave some room for negotiation. “They should know and understand Turkey,” he said of the diplomats. “The day they don’t, they will leave.”
Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/23/world/europe/erdogan-turkey-ambassadors-persona-non-grata.html
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