Osman Kavala

An Istanbul court on Feb. 19 arrested businessman Osman Kavala, as part of a probe into the defeated coup attempt of 2016, after he was acquitted from the Gezi Park trial.

After his unexpected acquittal, the Istanbul chief prosecutor has ordered civil society leader Osman Kavala back into detention on charges related to his alleged involvement in a failed coup attempt in 2016.

Kavala and the eight other defendants in the so-called "Gezi Park" trial were acquitted on Tuesday in a surprise verdict.

Istanbul prosecutors have issued a new detention warrant for businessman Osman Kavala, shortly after he was acquitted on terrorism charges in a trial pertaining to the 2013 Gezi Park protests.

Turkish philanthropist and civil society leader Osman Kavala and eight co-defendants were acquitted by an Istanbul court on Tuesday on charges of trying to overthrow the government during a wave of protests in 2013 in defence of a park that city authorities planned to build on.

An Istanbul court on Feb. 18 ruled to acquit businessman Osman Kavala and nine other defendants of charges of "attempting to overthrow the government" during the nationwide Gezi Park protests in 2013.

An Istanbul court on Jan. 28 ruled that Osman Kavala, a businessman and philanthropist, to remain in custody in Gezi Park trial.

The next hearing will take place on Feb. 18 in Istanbul.

Kavala, who funded civil society projects across the country, was detained in 2017 on charges of seeking to overthrow the government.

An Istanbul prosecutor has sought life in prison for 16 suspects including philanthropist Osman Kavala and actor Mehmet Ali Alabora on charges of "attempting to overthrow the government," state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.   

Friends of the prominent jailed activist and businessman Osman Kavala have called for his release in a joint statement, seven months after he was first detained.