Europe rights body urges release of Erdogan critics

STRASBOURG, France: Europe’s top human rights body on Friday urged the immediate release of two opponents of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saying Ankara was violating rulings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) which ordered their release.

The ECHR, which is part of the Council of Europe, had in separate rulings told Turkey to release philanthropist Osman Kavala and pro-Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas who are both jailed.

Considering both cases, the committee of ministers of the Council of Europe said that Turkey was violating the ECHR rulings by failing to free the two men. Supporters say that Demirtas and Kavala are being punished for daring to oppose Erdogan, although Ankara insists that the Turkish judiciary is independent.

In Kavala’s case, the committee called for his immediate release and said it would send a letter to Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu "conveying the Committee’s deep concern about the applicant’s continuing detention". It said his situation and the violation of the ECHR ruling "reveal pervasive problems regarding the independence and impartiality of the Turkish judiciary".