Article written by Karen Laura Feliciano and Laura Araújo Cariolin
Turkey is a country that has immense vulnerability in its democracy. Its president is the religious conservative Recep Tayyip Erdogan., who has been in power for more than 15 years, since 2003, after the formation of the Islamist AKP party. Erdogan went from prime minister of Turkey to president in 2014, after making a change in the system of government. Outraged by the state of democracy in the country, the figure of Osmar Kavala appears, an activist of 64 years, who was recently accused of links to the Gezi protests of 2013 and the attempted coup 2016, both considered by Erdogan to be part of an international conspiracy to overthrow him. In this sense, Kavala was sentenced in April 2022 for trying to overthrow the Turkish government in 2016, in a judgment issued by a court in Istanbul, signaling how worrying the situation of Turkish democracy is.
In the first place, it is important to contextualize what the Turkish demonstrations were in the year of 2013. in June 2013, a series of protests took place in Gezi Park, in istanbul, with the intention of preventing a construction in a green area from being made. The motivation was the act that was missing for the protesters to take to the streets. According to people who participated in the protests, the main topic was to stand against Erdogan's government, accused of trying to impose an Islamic theocracy and of having anti-democratic aspirations. In season, Erdogan was the Prime Minister of Turkey..
given the circumstance, the Turkish government tried to establish links between the demonstrations of 2013 and the attempted coup 2016 com Osman Kavala, a Turkish billionaire and philanthropist known for his minority advocacy speeches. He was accused of funding the protests of 2013, as well as helping to coordinate the attempted coup 2016. Kavala was arrested in 2017 for allegedly having links to the coup. However, their lawyers allege lack of evidence. Like this, Osman has become a symbol against Erdogan's rule. Considered a political prisoner by his supporters, in 2022 he was sentenced to life imprisonment, further promoting the discussion about the rising wave of authoritarianism that circulates in Turkey.
In this aspect, it is evident that at present the Turkish state, while being ruled by Erdogan, finds its democracy threatened due to an abuse of power. Although in February 2022 the European Court of Human Rights has opened a case against Turkey, an extremely rare decision that could result in sanctions against the Turkish government if Kavala is not released, the measure did not materialize. This factor highlights the fragility of Turkish democracy, in which violence is strongly present in society and in which the principles of a democracy as human rights, freedom of expression and religion, are often being threatened.
Like this, it is possible to see that the government's respect for its political opponents, which was already in decline even before the emergence of Osman Kavala, finds Erdogan's government in imminent danger, and Turkey shows, thus, evidence of strong authoritarianism. not turkish case, the arrest of a political enemy would not be the first case of violation of human rights and democratic principles, and this attitude demonstrates that it will possibly not be the last.
References:
IRON, A. B. et al. Why is Osman Kavala in jail? Law, politics and human rights in Turkey. Stanford CDDRL, [S.l]: 2021. Available in: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8xZAns3FcE>. Access in 11 May. 2022.
Thousands of people occupy square in Turkey. AFP Portuguese. [S.l]: 2013. Available in: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v = ubcMalWV2oU>. Access 11 May. 2022.
Police attack protesters in Turkey. AFP Portuguese, [S.l]: 2013. Available in: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnggUj8X_m0>. Access in 11 May. 2022.
WHY Erdogan is a president who divides Turkey. BBC News Brazil, [S.l]: 2016. Available in: <https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-36801330>. Access in 11 May. 2022.
PROTESTS against the government spread across Turkey. BBC News Brazil, [S.l]: 2012. Available in: <https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/noticias/2013/06/130601_turquia_atualiza_fn>. Access in 11 May. 2022.
WHO is Osman Kavala, Turkish billionaire and enemy of Erdogan sentenced to life in prison. UOL News, [S.l]: [s.d.]. Available in: <https://noticias.uol.com.br/ultimas-noticias/rfi/2022/04/25/quem-e-osman-kavala-bilionario-turco-e-inimigo-de-erdogan-condenado-a-prisao-perpetua.htm> Access in 11 May. 2022.
WHO is Recep Erdogan?, the man who has ruled Turkey for 15 years and can stay in government for another ten. BBC News Brazil, [S.l]: 2018. Available in: <https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-44599658>. Access in 11 May 2022.
TRANCHES, Renata. democratic promise, Erdogan accelerated train of authoritarianism. [S.l]: 2021. Available in: <https://www.estadao.com.br/infograficos/internacional,democratic-promise-erdogan-accelerated-train-of-authoritarianism,1182123>. Access in 11 May. 2022.
TURKEY: Activist Osman Kavala sentenced to life in prison. German wave, [S.l]: 2022. Available in: <https://www.dw.com/pt-br/turquia-ativista-osman-kavala-é-condenado-à-prisão-perpétua/a-61590917>. Access in 11 May. 2022.
The fragility of Turkish democracy: the case of Osman Kavala
Karen Laura Feliciano and Laura Araújo Cariolin
Turkey is a country that has immense vulnerability in its democracy. Its president is the religious conservative Recep Tayyip Erdogan., who has been in power for more than 15 years, since 2003, after the formation of the Islamist AKP party. Erdogan went from prime minister of Turkey to president in 2014, after making a change in the system of government. Outraged by the state of democracy in the country, the figure of Osmar Kavala appears, an activist of 64 years, who was recently accused of links to the Gezi protests of 2013 and the attempted coup 2016, both considered by Erdogan to be part of an international conspiracy to overthrow him. In this sense, Kavala was sentenced in April 2022 for trying to overthrow the Turkish government in 2016, in a judgment issued by a court in Istanbul, signaling how worrying the situation of Turkish democracy is.
In the first place, it is important to contextualize what the Turkish demonstrations were in the year of 2013. in June 2013, a series of protests took place in Gezi Park, in istanbul, with the intention of preventing a construction in a green area from being made. The motivation was the act that was missing for the protesters to take to the streets. According to people who participated in the protests, the main topic was to stand against Erdogan's government, accused of trying to impose an Islamic theocracy and of having anti-democratic aspirations. In season, Erdogan was the Prime Minister of Turkey..
given the circumstance, the Turkish government tried to establish links between the demonstrations of 2013 and the attempted coup 2016 com Osman Kavala, a Turkish billionaire and philanthropist known for his minority advocacy speeches. He was accused of funding the protests of 2013, as well as helping to coordinate the attempted coup 2016. Kavala was arrested in 2017 for allegedly having links to the coup. However, their lawyers allege lack of evidence. Like this, Osman has become a symbol against Erdogan's rule. Considered a political prisoner by his supporters, in 2022 he was sentenced to life imprisonment, further promoting the discussion about the rising wave of authoritarianism that circulates in Turkey.
In this aspect, it is evident that at present the Turkish state, while being ruled by Erdogan, finds its democracy threatened due to an abuse of power. Although in February 2022 the European Court of Human Rights has opened a case against Turkey, an extremely rare decision that could result in sanctions against the Turkish government if Kavala is not released, the measure did not materialize. This factor highlights the fragility of Turkish democracy, in which violence is strongly present in society and in which the principles of a democracy as human rights, freedom of expression and religion, are often being threatened.
Like this, it is possible to see that the government's respect for its political opponents, which was already in decline even before the emergence of Osman Kavala, finds Erdogan's government in imminent danger, and Turkey shows, thus, evidence of strong authoritarianism. not turkish case, the arrest of a political enemy would not be the first case of violation of human rights and democratic principles, and this attitude demonstrates that it will possibly not be the last.
References:
IRON, A. B. et al. Why is Osman Kavala in jail? Law, politics and human rights in Turkey. Stanford CDDRL, [S.l]: 2021. Available in: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8xZAns3FcE>. Access in 11 May. 2022.
Thousands of people occupy square in Turkey. AFP Portuguese. [S.l]: 2013. Available in: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v = ubcMalWV2oU>. Access 11 May. 2022.
Police attack protesters in Turkey. AFP Portuguese, [S.l]: 2013. Available in: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnggUj8X_m0>. Access in 11 May. 2022.
WHY Erdogan is a president who divides Turkey. BBC News Brazil, [S.l]: 2016. Available in: <https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-36801330>. Access in 11 May. 2022.
PROTESTS against the government spread across Turkey. BBC News Brazil, [S.l]: 2012. Available in: <https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/noticias/2013/06/130601_turquia_atualiza_fn>. Access in 11 May. 2022.
WHO is Osman Kavala, Turkish billionaire and enemy of Erdogan sentenced to life in prison. UOL News, [S.l]: [s.d.]. Available in: <https://noticias.uol.com.br/ultimas-noticias/rfi/2022/04/25/quem-e-osman-kavala-bilionario-turco-e-inimigo-de-erdogan-condenado-a-prisao-perpetua.htm> Access in 11 May. 2022.
WHO is Recep Erdogan?, the man who has ruled Turkey for 15 years and can stay in government for another ten. BBC News Brazil, [S.l]: 2018. Available in: <https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-44599658>. Access in 11 May 2022.
TRANCHES, Renata. democratic promise, Erdogan accelerated train of authoritarianism. [S.l]: 2021. Available in: <https://www.estadao.com.br/infograficos/internacional,democratic-promise-erdogan-accelerated-train-of-authoritarianism,1182123>. Access in 11 May. 2022.
TURKEY: Activist Osman Kavala sentenced to life in prison. German wave, [S.l]: 2022. Available in: <https://www.dw.com/pt-br/turquia-ativista-osman-kavala-é-condenado-à-prisão-perpétua/a-61590917>. Access in 11 May. 2022.
