Germany summons Turkish envoy over Kavala verdict

Germany summoned Turkey's ambassador in Berlin on April 29 to protest a sentence of life in prison that a Turkish court handed to businessman Osman Kavala. 

A heavy panel court in Istanbul sentenced Kavala to life in jail on April 25 on charges of trying to overthrow the government by supporting the Gezi protests and playing a role in the 2016 coup attempt. Seven other defendants were sentenced to 18 years in prison over the same charges.

Christofer Burger, a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry, said Turkey's envoy was summoned for talks Friday morning.

He told reporters in Berlin that Germany had urged other European Union countries to make a similar diplomatic protest.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said: "We expect Osman Kavala to be released immediately - the European Court of Human Rights has bindingly obliged Turkey to do so."