Jailed businessman, human rights activist and philanthropist Osman Kavala said on Sunday that he hoped to see a change in attitude in Turkey’s judiciary and public institutions following the 14 May polls.
Kavala shared a statement on 23 April to mark his 2,000th day in prison. The worldwide renowned philanthropist received a life sentence without parole in April last year for “attempting to overthrow the government through force and violence” and was accused of orchestrating the 2013 Gezi protests.
Seven others were sentenced to 18 years for aiding him in what critics said was a political trial aimed at criminalising the popular ‘Gezi park’ uprising against the then-premier Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“I have been kept in prison for 2,000 days over allegations and charges that contradicts the law, the common sense,” Kavala said in his statement.
He defined the Turkish authorities insistence to keep him behind bars -despite two contrary European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rulings- as “an act of torture”.
The ECHR twice called on Turkish authorities to release Kavala. The court last year ordered Turkey to pay him 7,500 euros ($7,600) for violating Kavala’s basic rights.
“I fervently hope that after May 14, a new perspective that upholds legal norms, human dignity, and human rights will prevail within the judiciary and all other public offices. And I believe that thousands of our fellow citizens who have also been imprisoned without any evidence linking them to the alleged crimes share this expectation,” Kavala said.