A Turkish court ordered leading activist Osman Kavala to remain in prison Monday, amid fresh calls for his release in the high-profile case that has drawn widespread rebuke, AFP reports.
The 64-year-old philanthropist has been held without conviction since October 2017, accused of financing 2013 anti-government protests and playing a role in a coup plot against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has called for Kavala’s release, which Turkey has refused to comply with.
This month, the Council of Europe (COE) launched disciplinary action over Turkey’s failure to free him.
A three-judge panel on Monday refused to release Kavala and set the next hearing for March 21.
Kavala did not appear in court, and his lawyers questioned the tribunal’s impartiality.
