It seems that Turkey is on a date with another "deal" that would release a prisoner, days after a similar order led to the release of American priest Andrew Branson, who was held in Turkey for two years.
A letter from Turkish businessman and activist Osman Kavala, who came after an article in a pro-government newspaper, questions the integrity of the Turkish judiciary and opens the door to all speculation about political interference in court rulings.
Kavala was arrested in October last year at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, without giving reasons. Police said his detention was part of a "secret investigation."
On November 1, a Turkish court ordered Kavala prison, 13 days after police custody, to try to overthrow the constitutional order and overthrow the government on the back of a failed coup attempt in the summer of 2016.
In a letter sent by his jailer to Al-Qahr newspaper, Kavala expressed his objection to his possible release from prison "in a deal", after a tip from the writer Abdelkader Salafi in an article published by the newspaper "Hurriyet" on Tuesday.
"Turkey has an opportunity to restore troubled relations with the European Union by releasing Kavala, as Branson did," he said, in a clear sign that the detention of the activist is purely political rather than a judicial one.
Branson left Turkey a few days after a court order to release him, while American newspapers revealed a political deal with the United States, through which Turkey made significant concessions.
After his arrest, many European politicians and institutions, as well as members of the European Parliament and the French Foreign Ministry, called on Turkey to immediately release Kavala.
But Kavala said he refused to use it to become part of a deal between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and European leaders. "To rely on a deal with Europe and to do justice is not comfortable for me," he said.
"The hope that foreign institutions will put a greater value on my liberty, I lose my confidence as a Turkish citizen," he said.
"After all, I do not think it is difficult for pre-trial detention practices to be more compatible with the Turkish Constitution and the European Court of Human Rights. Some positive comments from our leaders can easily change these detention practices," Kavala said.
Kavala is known for his contributions to non-governmental organizations, particularly his support for Kurdish political activists and human rights activists in Turkey.
