ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th December, 2020) Turkey's Constitutional Court on Tuesday ruled that the continued detention of Turkish businessman Osman Kavala was lawful, media reported.
Kavala had been in detention for over three years when he was acquitted in February of connection to the anti-government Gezi Park protests in 2013. He was immediately rearrested with a new set of charges leveled against him, this time accusing him of connection with the failed 2016 coup attempt.
According to state news agency Anadolu, the court shot down Kavala's appeal to be released while pending trial and found that his immediate re-arrest was not a violation of his constitutional rights. The 15-judge panel passed the ruling with eight votes to seven, the agency reported.
The prominent businessman Kavala was deeply involved in philanthropy, supported cultural foundations and human rights foundations in turkey. He denied all charges leveled against him.
The US and EU have called for Kavala's release, stating that there was no evidence to justify his lengthy detention.
