Court Case Osman Kavala
5:45 min, 3SAT – Kulturzeit, June 24, 2019
Osman Kavala was taken into custody at Istanbul Ataturk Airport as he arrived from Gaziantep on October 18th, 2017 as part of the investigation launched by Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office. Kavala was arrested on November 1st, 2017. Kavala’s arrest order noted that he was charged with “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order” and “attempting to abolish the government.” The warrant claimed that Kavala was the organizer and manager of the “Gezi Park protests,” which the document alleged was a protest aiming to abolish the government and prevent it from performing its duties, which all terror organizations have participated in.
On the occasion of the re-elction in Istanbul and the beginning of the court case on June 24 – 25 against Osman Kavala and 15 others, the program explores the independent exhibition center DEPO and its current exhibition Shared Sacred Sites.
Osman Kavala is among 16 defendants who are facing serious charges that carry the most severe sentence in Turkey criminal law – life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The first hearing in the case is scheduled to take place on 24 and 25 June 2019 at Silivri prison where he and another defendant are being held.
Depo is a space for culture, arts and critical debate in the city center of Istanbul.
* Illustrations: Murat Başol
