[REVISION HISTORY]

ECHR Grand Chamber orders release of Osman Kavala

Updated 11 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-19 08:03 UTC → 2026-10-03 10:24 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The legal situation surrounding Turkish businessman and activist Osman Kavala has moved toward a final ruling by the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Kavala has been detained since October 2017 in connection with the Gezi Park protests. This case follows a 2019 ECHR decision which found Turkey in violation of several articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, including the right to liberty and security, and ordered Kavala’s immediate release. Turkey’s failure to comply with that mandate led the Council of Europe to initiate infringement proceedings in 2022. On August 24, 2026, the Grand Chamber issued a final ruling ordering that Kavala be released as soon as possible. In a decision taken by 15 judges against 2, the court found that Turkey violated his rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and association. The ECHR declared his previous conviction for attempting to overthrow the government to be “null and void,” describing it as a “flagrant denial of justice.” The court also identified violations of Article 18, noting that legal proceedings were used for an “ulterior motive to silence Kavala” due to his advocacy. Following the ruling, Kavala’s legal team filed a request for a retrial with the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court on September 11, ~~2026, citing Article 311~~ 2026. As of ~~the Criminal Procedure Code.~~ October 2026, Kavala remains imprisoned after more than 3,250 days in custody. The ~~court has since requested a Turkish translation of the ECHR decision from the Ministry of Justice to evaluate the application. Meanwhile, the~~ Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has demanded that Turkey report any concrete steps taken toward his release by October 14, emphasizing that the proceedings were “clearly unfair and conducted with political motives.” The Committee has urged Turkish authorities to use domestic retrial mechanisms to nullify the consequences of his conviction, with further evaluations scheduled for December 2026.

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