Council of Europe demands update on Osman Kavala's release

Human rights activist Osman Kavala has been imprisoned for 3,245 days as of September 19, 2026. Originally detained in October 2017, Kavala has faced various charges, including attempts to overthrow the government and the constitutional order.

The Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers has issued a new decision regarding his detention, requesting that Turkey report any concrete steps taken toward his release by October 14. The Committee emphasized that the legal proceedings against Kavala have been “clearly unfair and conducted with political motives,” noting that Turkey has failed to comply with the 2019 European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling for his immediate release.

The Committee urged Turkish authorities to utilize domestic retrial mechanisms to nullify the consequences of his conviction, as the ECHR has determined the conviction is invalid under the European Convention on Human Rights. Further evaluations of Turkey's response will be conducted during the Committee's meeting in December 2026.