Interventions by AKEL Parliamentary Representative Giorgos Loukaides in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Osman Kavala

 

13 October 2023

AKEL Parliamentary Representative Giorgos Loukaides participated yesterday in a debate at the Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the topic “Call for the immediate release of Osman Kavala”, within the framework of the deliberations of the Fourth Part of the 2023 Session.

Giorgos Loukaides said that the continued life imprisonment of the well-known human rights defender Osman Kavala is a consequence of the serious violation of human rights and the repression of the opposition forces in Turkey. He deplored the systematic violations of freedom of speech, noting that these have led to widespread self-censorship of many dissidents, activists and journalists.

The AKEL MP said that Turkey’s continued disregard for the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling on the Kavala case, despite repeated appeals by the Council of Europe, cannot remain unanswered and without consequences. Along with Turkey’s refusal to comply, it harms the authority and credibility of the Organization, G. Loukaides added.

G.Loukaides proposed that steps be taken to ensure that the Turkish authorities immediately release Osman Kavala, including the activation of the joint mechanism between the PACE and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to address problems arising when a member state violates its treaty obligations. He also expressed his support for the difficult struggle being waged by the defenders of human rights, the rule of law and democracy in the country.