Gezi Park protests

Turkey on April 29 summoned German ambassador over a row sparked by a Turkish court's decision to sentence businessman Osman Kavala to life in prison.

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. 

Turkey is a state of rule of law and has independent justice, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, defying internal and external criticisms regarding the aggravated life sentence given to businessman Osman Kavala in the Gezi trial.

Defying police intervention, thousands of protesters on Tuesday took to the streets of Istanbul to condemn a Turkish court's decision to jail for life philanthropist and human rights advocate Osman Kavala and others for their roles in the Gezi Park Protests in 2013, which the court insisted was a coup attempt.

İYİ (Good) Party leader Meral Akşener on April 27 criticized a court verdict that sentenced businessman Osman Kavala to life imprisonment without parole, saying the ruling disturbed the conscience of society.

Protesters hold placards reading "The Gezi resistance continues" in front of the Istanbul Caglayan Court House to support Turkish businessman and philanthropist Osman Kavala on Monday. Photo: EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA

Justice cannot be through fictional legal procedures, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said, criticizing the government for issuing a life sentence against businessman Osman Kavala and other defendants over the 2013 Gezi Protests.

A Turkish court April 25 sentenced Osman Kavala- a Turkish businessman who is accused of financing 2013 anti-government protests and playing a role in the 2016 coup attempt- to life in jail.

The panel of three judges also sentenced seven other less prominent defendants to 18 years in jail each on charges of aiding the attempt to topple the government.

Turkey and the European Union (EU) are working on the elements of positive agenda which the European Council outlined previously, EU Ambassador to Turkey Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut said on Jan. 20.

Turkey has notified the political body of the Council of Europe (CoE) that a case against Turkish businessman Osman Kavala is continuing in due process of law and the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the case have been implemented.