The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has once again demanded on Friday that the Turkish authorities immediately release human rights defender Osman Kavala as well as former co-chair of pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtaş, condemning the continued detention of both Turkey despite the Court of Human Rights’ (ECHR) previous decision.
“The further and timely engagement of the Turkish authorities on this issue is essential,” said the Committee and stressed that Kavala remains in detention more than three years after the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECHR) initial judgment on his case.
The Committee of Ministers also expressed concern about Demirtaş’s case and exhorted the Turkish authorities to take all possible steps to ensure that the Constitutional Court rules on this issue as soon as possible, and in the meantime to ensure the politician’s immediate release in line with judgments from the ECHR.
The Council of Europe also urged general measures including reinforced guarantees for judicial independence from undue influence from the executive branch and all required action to strengthen political debate, pluralism and the freedom of expression of political representatives in the country.
