Osman Kavala, 64, has been in Turkish prisons since October 2017. He is being held on charges of espionage and attempting to overthrow the government, stemming from his alleged involvement in the 2013 Gezi protests and the 2016 coup attempt.
Kavala’s imprisonment has been condemned by human rights groups and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ordered his release.
On Monday, the fourth anniversary of Kavala’s detention, the embassies of the Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the United States released a joint statement calling for his immediate release.
“The continuing delays in his trial, including by merging different cases and creating new ones after a previous acquittal, cast a shadow over respect for democracy, the rule of law and transparency in the Turkish judiciary system,” the statement said.