Council of Europe initiates action against Turkey over Kavala detention
The 47-member council has agreed to invoke a rarely used mechanism against Turkey over its failure to release philanthropist Osman Kavala.
The Council of Europe has initiated rarely used infringement proceedings against Turkey after Ankara’s failure to release businessman and philanthropist Osman Kavala despite a European Court of Human Rights’ judgement ordering his immediate release.
The procedure may eventually lead to withholding Turkey’s voting rights in the council or even suspension of its membership. The latter would mean breaking one of the key links of Turkey, whose accession talks with the European Union have been at a standstill for years, to European institutions.
