"Urgent"; "An unacceptable act": Ten western allies' ambassadors summoned

Embassies of Turkey's Western allies, including the United States and Germany, called on Monday for the "urgent release" of philanthropist Osman Kavala, in an intervention Ankara described as "unacceptable", Reuters reports on Anadolu agency's news.
"Kavala has been jailed for four years without being convicted, despite the European Court of Human Rights calling for his release", Reuters says.
He was acquitted in 2020 of charges related to nationwide protests in 2013 but the ruling was overturned this year and combined with charges in another case related to a coup attempt in 2016.
The embassies called for a just and speedy resolution to Kavala's case on Monday, October 18.
"The continuing delays in his trial, including by merging different cases and creating new ones after a previous acquittal, cast a shadow over respect for democracy, the rule of law and transparency in the Turkish judiciary system," the embassies said.
"Noting the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights on the matter, we call for Turkey to secure his urgent release," the embassies' statement said.
The embassies of Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United States of America shared the statement on Twitter.
The statement also mentioned France, Finland and New Zealand but Reuters could not verify them.
In response, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Turkey is a democratic state of law.
"Ambassadors making a recommendation and suggestion to the judiciary in an ongoing case is unacceptable," he said on Twitter.
"Your recommendation and suggestion cast a shadow on your understanding of law and democracy," Soylu said.
The next hearing in the case against Kavala will be held on November 26th.