Greece condemns Turkey’s conviction of Osman Kavala
Greece has condemned Turkey’s decision to convict activist and philanthropist Osman Kavala to life imprisonment.
Kavala was on Monday jailed for life without parole after he was convicted by an Istanbul court of trying to overthrow Turkey’s government by financing protests. Europe’s top court and several Western governments have denounced the case against him as being politically motivated.
In a statement posted by the Foreign Ministry on Twitter on Wednesday, Athens called for Kavala’s immediate release, adding that the “decision stands in stark contrast with the international obligations Turkey has assumed.”
“Respect for rule of law, fundamental freedoms and human rights constitute a fundamental obligation for countries aspiring to join the European Union, including Turkey,” the ministry said.
