Turkey: Detention of Kavala Escalates Attacks against Civil Society

In response to Turkey’s detention of Osman Kavala, a prominent businessman whose philanthropy supports civil society organizations throughout the country, Freedom House issued the following statement:

“The detention of Osman Kavala is a significant escalation in the Turkish government’s assault on civil society and media,” said Marc Behrendt, director of Eurasia programs. “Authorities have detained Kavala a few days before the first court hearing on ill-founded criminal charges against representatives of local civil society organizations, and Amnesty International’s Turkey branch, another signal that Turkey is targeting activists for holding opinions critical of the government. Kavala should be released immediately and the charges against him made clear. The European Union and the government of the United States should publicly press for Kavala’s release.”

Freedom House 

19 October 2017