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Jailed Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala wins Council of Europe’s top rights prize
- Kavala was arrested in October 2017 and sentenced to life in prison in 2022 for allegedly trying to topple Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government
- The Turkish foreign ministry condemned the ‘unacceptable’ award, accusing the rights body of pursuing a ‘political agenda’
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![Jailed Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala, seen here in 2014, was awarded the European Council’s top rights prize on Monday. Photo: dpa](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1020x680/public/d8/images/canvas/2023/10/10/c82273fe-83e1-4535-b5b5-a8defd7e6698_ae6770f0.jpg?itok=FP4VA4ph&v=1696881573)
The Council of Europe on Monday awarded its top rights prize to jailed Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala, who has come under repeated attack from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
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The decision drew an angry response from Ankara, but was cheered on by groups that have long expressed worries about Turkey’s deteriorating human rights record under Erdogan.
Kavala, 66, faced alternating charges that have ranged from espionage and financing the 2013 protests to taking part in a failed 2016 coup against Erdogan.
He was arrested in October 2017 and sentenced to life in 2022 for allegedly trying to topple Erdogan’s government.
![Ayse Bugra Kavala receives the Vaclav Havel Human Rights award on behalf of her husband Osman Kavala, from Tiny Kox, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, in Strasbourg, France, on Monday. Photo: EPA-EFE Ayse Bugra Kavala receives the Vaclav Havel Human Rights award on behalf of her husband Osman Kavala, from Tiny Kox, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, in Strasbourg, France, on Monday. Photo: EPA-EFE](https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2023/10/10/b1cfce71-a7b9-4eaa-b815-5bc7a414c758_83158445.jpg)
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