Ankara, Oct 8 (AP) A court in Istanbul on Friday resumed the trial of a leading philanthropist who has been behind bars for nearly four years despite repeated calls by Europe's top human rights organisation and its judiciary arm for his release.

Businessman and civil rights activist Osman Kavala, 64, is accused of attempting to overthrow the Turkish government through the 2013 nationwide demonstrations that started at Istanbul's Gezi Park.

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He has also been charged with espionage and attempting to overthrow the government in connection with a failed military coup in 2016.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled for Kavala's release in December 2019 but Turkish authorities have ignored the ruling, keeping Kavala in prison since his arrest in November 2017.

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Last month, the 47-member Council of Europe — of which Turkey is a member — said it would start infringement proceedings against Ankara, unless Kavala is released before its next committee of ministers meeting in November.

The infringement proceedings could result in punitive measures against Turkey, including its possible suspension from the organization that promotes democracy and human rights.

Kavala faces a life term in prison without parole if convicted. The businessman has rejected all charges against him while human rights groups have denounced the case against him as being politically motivated.

Opposition legislator Utku Cakirozer, who visited Kavala in prison, quoted him as lamenting the fact that he was still incarcerated despite the European court's judgements.

“I look forward to the day when I will see the face of justice,” Cakirozer quoted Kavala as saying.

Kavala was initially on trial together with 15 other defendants, including journalist Can Dundar and actor Mehmet Ali Alaboara.

The number of defendants has since increased to 52, after courts merged the Gezi Park trial with the coup attempt trial as well as the trial of 35 fans of the Besiktas football team who were involved in the protests.

On Friday, lawyers representing the Besiktas fans walked out of the courtroom after requests for the cases to be separated were rejected, according to the Punto24 website which is monitoring the trial.

Kavala and eight of his codefendants were initially cleared of the charges in the Gezi Park case in February 2020.

But as his supporters awaited his release from jail, prosecutors initiated a new investigation and later charged him with espionage and supporting the coup attempt, which the government has blames on a network linked to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen. An appeals court later overturned the Gezi Park acquittals, leading to a retrial.

Kavala is known for his support of the arts and his funding of projects promoting cultural diversity and minority rights. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused him of being the “Turkish leg” of billionaire US philanthropist George Soros, whom Erdogan alleges has been behind insurrections in many countries.

The 2013 protests were organised to oppose the planned development of a shopping mall on the site of the small park in central Istanbul. The demonstrations soon grew into a nationwide protest against the government of Erdogan, who was prime minister at the time.

Separately on Friday, a court in Ankara acquitted 18 students and an academician who were on trial for taking part in a student Pride march at the city's prestigious Middle East Technical University in May 2019.

The LGBT+ activists had faced a possible three-year prison sentences for taking part in an “unlawful” demonstration and resisting police.

“Today's verdict is a victory for justice, but this protracted legal battle should never have happened,” said Massimo Moratti, Amnesty International's Europe Deputy Director. (AP) VM

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)