Representatives of the United States and nine other countries called for the release of a Turkish dissident
Erdogan to his foreign minister: These 10 ambassadors are not wanted.. Expel them immediately!
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that he had ordered the Foreign Ministry to expel the ambassador of the United States and nine other Western countries' ambassadors for calling for the release of Turkish businessman Osman Kavala.
Among these ambassadors, seven represent Turkey's allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and their expulsion, if carried out, would ignite the biggest crisis with the West in 19 years of Erdogan's rule.
Kavala, who contributes to many civil society groups, has been imprisoned since late 2017 on charges of financing protests in the country in 2013 and involvement in a failed coup in 2016. He remains in detention as his trial continues and denies all charges against him.
In a joint statement issued on October 18, the ambassadors of Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, New Zealand and the United States called for a just and speedy resolution of Kavala's case and for his "immediate release." The Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the 10 ambassadors and described the statement as irresponsible.
"I gave the due order to our foreign minister and told him what to do, these 10 ambassadors must be declared persona non grata," Erdogan said in a speech to a crowd in the northwestern Turkish province of Eskişehir. Do it immediately.”
"They will know and understand Turkey," he added, to cheers and cheers from the audience. The day they do not know or understand Turkey, they will leave.”
The US and French embassies, and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A US State Department spokesman said it was aware of the reports and was seeking clarification from the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
Erdogan had previously said that he intends to meet with US President Joe Biden at the G-20 summit to be held in Rome early next week.
A diplomatic source said that it is possible to defuse the crisis based on the fact that Turkey has made its position fully clear now, and in light of the possible diplomatic repercussions of such a move before the G20 summit and the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, which will start at the end of this month.
"No instructions were issued to the embassies," the source added, noting that a decision in this regard could be taken at the Turkish government's meeting on Monday.
The Norwegian Foreign Ministry said its embassy in Ankara had not received notification from the Turkish authorities.
"Our ambassador did nothing to warrant expulsion," the ministry's director of communications, Trud Macedi, told Reuters in an emailed statement, adding that Turkey was well aware of Norway's view on the issue.
"We will continue to call on Turkey to comply with the democratic standards and rule of law that the country is committed to under the European Convention on Human Rights," Macedi said.
New Zealand's foreign ministry said on Sunday it would not comment until it had heard "anything formally through official channels," adding in an emailed statement that "New Zealand values its relationship with Turkey."
Kavala Square was acquitted last year of charges linked to nationwide protests in 2013, but the ruling was overturned this year and the charges were merged with those in another case linked to the attempted coup.
Rights groups describe Kavala's trials as a symbol of a crackdown on dissent under Erdogan.
Six of the countries that participated in the statement are members of the European Union, including Germany and France. European Parliament President David Sassoli said on Twitter: "The expulsion of 10 ambassadors is evidence of an authoritarian impulse on the part of the Turkish government. We will not be afraid. Freedom for Osman Kavala.
Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said his ministry had not received any official notification on the issue and was in close contact with its friends and allies.
"We will continue to uphold our shared values and principles, as expressed in the joint declaration," he added in a statement.
A source at the German Foreign Ministry said that consultations are currently taking place between the ten countries in this regard.
Kavala said on Friday that he would no longer attend his court hearings, as it was no longer possible to hold a fair hearing after Erdogan's recent statements.
Erdogan was quoted as saying on Thursday that the aforementioned ambassadors would not allow the release of "bandits, murderers and terrorists" in their country.
The European Court of Human Rights had demanded Kavala's immediate release two years ago, saying there was no reasonable evidence that he had committed a crime and that his detention was intended to silence him.
It issued a similar ruling this year in the case of Selahattin Demirtas, the former head of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party, who has been in detention for nearly five years.
The Council of Europe, which oversees implementation of European Court of Human Rights decisions, said it would initiate wrongdoing cases against Turkey if Kavala was not released.
The next hearing in the Kavala case will be held on November 26.
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