Türkiye lambasts Germany's attempt to interfere in independent judiciary

Blasting Berlin’s attempt to interfere with independent Turkish courts, Türkiye has summoned the top German envoy to Ankara — after Germany summoned Türkiye’s ambassador in Berlin over the Osman Kavala verdict.

According to diplomatic sources, German Ambassador Jurgen Schulz was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Friday by Deputy Foreign Minister Faruk Kaymakci, who is in charge of EU affairs.

Ankara condemned the politicisation of the Kavala case and the summoning of Türkiye's ambassador to Berlin to the German Foreign Ministry, describing it as contrary to diplomatic practices.

Sources added that Kaymakci told Schulz that the conviction of the independent Turkish judiciary cannot be questioned by any institution, authority, or country.

Noting that Türkiye is a state of law, Kaymakci stressed that the country is aware of its Constitution and its international obligations, the sources said.

Rejecting attempts to interfere in the Turkish judiciary and political affairs, Türkiye cited the Vienna Convention's principle of non-interference in a country's internal affairs.

On Monday, an Istanbul court sentenced businessman Osman Kavala to an aggravated life sentence on charges of attempting to overthrow the government by financing the 2013 Gezi Park protests.

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