European court to rule on Osman Kavala's continued imprisonment

The European Court of Human Rights' Grand Chamber is set to announce its ruling today on the second application filed by Turkish businessman Osman Kavala, who has been imprisoned since 2017.

The case, "Kavala v. Turkey (no. 2)," addresses Kavala's continued detention and his conviction for aggravated life imprisonment following a 2019 ECHR decision that had already declared his initial arrest unlawful and ordered his release.

In his application, Kavala contends that Turkey has violated multiple articles of the European Convention on Human Rights. These include rights to liberty and security, a fair trial, no punishment without law, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association, and the prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment. He also claims a violation of Article 18, which prohibits the restriction of rights and freedoms for purposes beyond those prescribed by the convention.

Despite the 2019 ECHR ruling, Kavala was not released. In 2022, the Grand Chamber ruled that Turkey had failed to comply with that judgment. Subsequently, in April 2022, a Turkish court sentenced Kavala to aggravated life imprisonment for attempting to overthrow the government in connection with the 2013 Gezi Park protests. This sentence was upheld by the Court of Cassation in 2023, making it final.