Turkey’s longstanding defiance of international law and human rights conventions may be met with its first concrete countermeasure, following a resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Wednesday. The resolution called for the immediate release of detained philanthropist Osman Kavala and suggested targeted sanctions against Turkish officials.
Petra Bayr, a PACE member from Austria, served as the rapporteur during the session, where the resolution was adopted. “The aim is to engage at the highest levels with Turkish authorities for Kavala’s immediate release,” she said.
The resolution specifically recommends the use of “Magnitsky legislation” to impose targeted sanctions on Turkish judges and prosecutors involved in Kavala’s ongoing detention. This focus was narrowed down through an oral amendment during the session.
Should Kavala remain imprisoned past 1 January 2024, PACE reserves the right to challenge the credentials of the Turkish delegation at its first session of the following year. This comes in the wake of Turkey’s Supreme Court of Appeals upholding Kavala’s life sentence last month.
The move by PACE follows a landmark ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that found Turkey in violation of multiple principles of the European Convention on Human Rights. This ruling is expected to have broad implications for political prisoners in Turkey.
The resolution is viewed as a significant milestone in holding Turkey accountable for its actions, thereby intensifying international scrutiny over its human rights record.
Last Monday, PACE awarded Kavala the 11th Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, recognising his exceptional efforts in defending human rights. In response, Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning the decision. “It is unacceptable that the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize has been awarded to someone who has a final conviction by our judiciary. International organisations expected to serve the protection of common values should not be instrumentalised for creating political agendas. This act, which disrespects judicial decisions, has seriously damaged the credibility and reputation of PACE,” the statement read.