ECHR. Kavala v. Türkiye
On Tuesday, 25 August 2026, in the case of Kavala v. Türkiye (no. 2), the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights found that the detention and conviction of Mehmet Osman Kavala violated several rights guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights, according to a press release.
The judgment found violations of the right to liberty and security, the right to a fair trial, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association, as well as Article 18 of the Convention, concerning the use of restrictions on rights for purposes other than those prescribed by the Convention. The Court also found a violation of Article 3 in connection with the absence of a mechanism for reviewing an aggravated form of life imprisonment.
The ECHR held that Mehmet Osman Kavala’s deprivation of liberty, which had continued uninterrupted since 18 October 2017, and his conviction were tainted by serious shortcomings. The Court found that the measures taken against him were predominantly aimed at punishing his activities in connection with the Gezi Park protests and silencing him as a human rights defender.
The Court stated that Türkiye must ensure the release of Mehmet Osman Kavala as soon as possible, eliminate the consequences of his conviction, and remedy the violations found. According to the Court, the criminal conviction must be regarded as null and void under the Convention.
Türkiye was also ordered to pay EUR 70,000 in respect of non-pecuniary damage and EUR 43,342.57 in respect of costs and expenses.
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