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A30 world news
Diamars 26 aPriL 2022

Turkish court gives philanthropist Kavala life in prison

The verdict, which is likely to harm
Turkey’s ties with Western na- Ozgur Ozel, an opposition legislator
tions, comes as Europe’s top human whose party frequently questions the
rights body, the Council of Europe, independence of Turkey’s courts, ac-
launched infringement procedures cused the judiciary of allegedly meet-
against Turkey for refusing to abide ing the wishes of Erdogan, who is
by a ruling by the European Court of now president.
Human Rights, which in 2019 called
for Kavala’s release on grounds that Ozel also denounced the trial as an
his rights had been violated. attempt by Erdogan to “demonize the
protests that were extremely peaceful
Kavala, 64, has been jailed in Silivri and were staged out of environmental
prison, on the outskirts of Istanbul, concerns.”
since he was detained Oct. 18, 2017,
accused of financing the protests. He Asked for his final words in court
and other defendants denied all the on Monday, Kavala said: “The aggra-
accusations and are expected to ap- vated life sentence demanded against
peal the verdicts. me is an assassination that cannot be
explained through legal reasons,” ac-
Human rights groups say Kavala was cording to the Media and Law Stud-
prosecuted with flimsy evidence and ies Association group which has been
that the case is politically motivated. monitoring the trial.
Kavala is the founder of a nonprofit
organization, Anadolu Kultur, which In his defense statements Friday, Ka-
focuses on cultural and artistic proj- vala rejected the accusations once
ects promoting peace and dialogue. again, insisting that he had merely
Supporters of Kavala and the seven taken pastries and face masks to the
other defendants immediately pro- protesters. He said allegations that he
tested the verdicts Monday, shouting directed the protests are “not plau-
slogans in support of the 2013 protests sible.”
that morphed from a dispute over
building a mall in an Istanbul park Kavala was initially acquitted in Feb-
into wider demonstrations against the ruary 2020 of charges that connected
government of then-Prime Minister him with the 2013 Gezi Park pro-
Recep Tayyip Erdogan. tests. As supporters awaited his re-
lease, Kavala was rearrested on new
German Foreign Minister Annalena charges linking him to Turkey’s 2016
Baerbock said the verdict “blatantly coup attempt. The acquittal was later
contradicts the constitutional stan- overturned and the case was merged
(AP) — A Turkish court on Mon- spectacular proportions.” dards and international obligations with that relating to the coup attempt,
day sentenced prominent Turk- that Turkey commits itself to as a which the Turkish government
ish civil rights activist and phi- The court in Istanbul also sentenced member of the Council of Europe blames on the network of U.S.-based
lanthropist Osman Kavala to life seven other defendants, including and EU accession candidate.” Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen. Gu-
in prison without parole, finding 71-year-old architect Mucella Yapici, len denies any links to the attempted
him guilty of attempting to over- to 18 years in prison each for “aid- The rights group PEN America called coup.
throw the government with mass ing” the attempt. It ordered that the the verdict a “dark moment for Tur-
protests in 2013. Western govern- activists, who were not in custody, be key” while Nils Muiznieks, Amnesty The court on Monday acquitted Ka-
ments and rights groups strongly immediately arrested, the state-run International’s director for Europe, vala of charges linked to the coup at-
criticized the ruling, with one Anadolu Agency reported. said it amounted to a “travesty of jus- tempt, saying there was insufficient
calling it “a travesty of justice of tice of spectacular proportions.” evidence, Anadolu reported.

Israel to reopen Gaza crossing after closing it over rockets

(AP) — Israel said Mon- power from rival Palestinian construction and agriculture. Palestinians and Israeli police
day it will reopen its bor- forces nearly 15 years ago. The job permits have been an The decision to close the bor- at Jerusalem’s most sensitive
der crossing with the Gaza economic lifeline for thou- der came after days of rising holy site, and the first rocket
Strip to Palestinian work- Israel grants permits to some sands of Gazan families and tensions between Israel and attacks into Israel from the
ers after closing it for sev- 12,000 Palestinians in Gaza were considered to be a key the Palestinians following a Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip
eral days following rocket and over 100,000 to Pales- factor in maintaining stabil- string of deadly attacks in- in months.
attacks from the Palestin- tinians in the occupied West ity before the latest fighting side Israel, arrest raids in the
ian enclave. Bank, mostly for work in broke out. West Bank, clashes between

COGAT, the Israeli military
body coordinating civilian af-
fairs in Gaza, said the open-
ing of the Erez Crossing on
Tuesday would be condi-
tioned “on the maintenance
of a stable security situation
in the area.”

In recent months, Israel had
issued thousands of work
permits to Palestinians from
Gaza, which has been under a
crippling Israeli and Egyptian
blockade since Hamas seized