He carried out his threat. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Saturday that he had ordered the expulsion, “as quickly as possible”, of the ten ambassadors including those from France, Germany and the United States, who demanded the release of the opponent Osman Kavala. “I ordered our Minister of Foreign Affairs to declare these ten ambassadors persona non grata as soon as possible,” said the head of state during a trip to central Turkey, without specifying the date on which diplomats will have to leave.
These diplomats “must know and understand Turkey”, continued Mr. Erdogan, accusing them of “indecency”. “They will have to leave” the country “if they no longer know it”, he added. A rare measure in international relations, declaring diplomats “persona non grata” opens the way for their expulsion or recall by their own country.
Imprisoned for 4 years, without trial
Imprisoned for four years without trial, Osman Kavala has been accused since 2013 by President Erdogan’s regime of wanting to destabilize Turkey. “From morning to night they (the diplomats) repeat: Kavala, Kavala … But the one you are talking about, Kavala, is Soros’ agent in Turkey,” President Erdogan said during a public meeting, once again saying reference to the American billionaire of Hungarian origin George Soros to whom he regularly compares the opponent.
In a statement released on Monday evening, Canada, France, Finland, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and the United States called for a “just settlement. and quick of the affair ”Osman Kavala, Turkish businessman and patron who became one of the regime’s pet peeves.
The next day, their ambassadors were summoned to the Foreign Ministry, the Turkish authorities deeming their approach “unacceptable”. The Turkish head of state then brandished the threat of deportation on his return from an African tour on Thursday.
“Nothing that can justify expulsion”
Among the first countries to react, on Saturday evening, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands as well as Germany announced that they had not received any official notification concerning their respective ambassadors at this stage. “Our ambassador did nothing that could justify the deportation,” Norwegian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Trude Måseide said, quoted by NTB news agency, adding that her country “will continue to urge Turkey to adhere to democratic standards ”.
“We are currently in intensive consultation with the nine other countries concerned,” announced the German Foreign Ministry. Several Dutch parliamentarians reacted on social networks. “Rightly, the Dutch ambassador to Turkey has among other things called for the implementation of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. From now on, the 27 countries of the EU must rally to this, ”tweeted Labor MP Kati Piri.
In December 2019, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ordered the “immediate release” of Mr. Kavala – to no avail. At 64 years old, this major figure of civil society, wealthy businessman and philanthropist, born in Paris, was kept in detention at the beginning of October by an Istanbul court which considered “lacking new elements to bring him back into custody. freedom “. Osman Kavala, who has always denied the charges against him, will appear again on November 26. Originally arrested for his participation in the so-called Gezi anti-government movement in 2013, when Erdogan was prime minister, he was later charged with attempted coup and espionage.
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