Turkey moves to throw out US envoy and nine others
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he has ordered 10 ambassadors, including those from the US and France be declared "persona non grata".
It follows a statement from the envoys calling for the
urgent release of activist Osman Kavala.
He has been in jail for more than four years over protests
and a coup attempt, although he has not been convicted.
Persona non grata can remove diplomatic status and often
results in expulsion or withdrawal of recognition of envoys.
This week's statement on Mr Kavala jointly came from the
embassies of the US, Canada, France, Finland, Denmark, Germany, the
Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden.
The Council of Europe, Europe's main human rights watchdog,
has given Turkey a final warning to heed a European Court of Human Rights
ruling to free Mr Kavala pending trial.
Addressing a crowd in Eskisehir on Saturday, Mr Erdogan said
the ambassadors "cannot dare to come to the Turkish foreign ministry and
give orders".
He said: "I gave the necessary order to our foreign
minister and said what must be done. These 10 ambassadors must be declared
persona non grata at once. You will sort it out immediately."
However, what will happen now remains unclear.
Mr Erdogan said the envoys should either understand Turkey
or leave, Turkish media reported.
There has been little response from the ambassadors so far,
although the Norwegian foreign ministry told Reuters its envoy had "not
done anything that warrants an expulsion".
Mr Erdogan said the envoys should either understand Turkey
or leave, Turkish media reported.
There has been little response from the ambassadors so far,
although the German foreign ministry said the nations involved were in
"intensive consultation".
No official notification has been received from Turkish
authorities.
The Norwegian foreign ministry told Reuters its envoy had
"not done anything that warrants an expulsion".
Turkey's foreign ministry had summoned the ambassadors on Tuesday to protest at their "irresponsible" statement on the Kavala case.
The embassies' statement had criticised the "continuing
delays" in Osman Kavala's trial, which "cast a shadow over respect
for democracy, the rule of law and transparency in the Turkish judiciary
system".
It urges a speedy resolution and calls for "Turkey to
secure his urgent release".
Mr Kavala was last year acquitted of charges over nationwide
protests in 2013, but almost immediately rearrested.
The acquittal was overturned and new charges were added
relating to the military coup attempt against the Erdogan government in 2016.
A brief guide to Turkey's coup
Mr Kavala denies any wrongdoing and critics of the Erdogan
government say his case is an example of a widespread crackdown on dissent.
Earlier this week, Mr Erdogan defended Turkey's judicial system, saying: "I told our foreign minister: We can't have the luxury of hosting this lot in our country. Is it for you to give Turkey such a lesson? Who do you think you are?"
Source BBC
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