ANKARA (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday accused George Soros of aiding a jailed Turkish philanthropist facing hugely controversial charges of seeking otherthrow the government, describing the Hungary-born American billionaire as a "famous Hungarian Jew".
Erdogan suggested Soros had backed the Turkish financier and philanthropist Osman Kavala who organised civil society events and has been in prison for the last year awaiting trial.
In a speech to local officials, Erdogan accused Kavala of financing the 2013 protests over the redevelopment of Gezi Park in Istanbul which at the time marked one of the biggest challenges to his rule.
Kavala's supporters say his charges of seeking to overthrow the government are absurd and that he had worked tirelessly to build bridges in society, in particular with Armenians.
They also say it is a disgrace he has yet to receive an indictment over a year after his arrest on October 18, 2017.
Erdogan also lashed out at Tuesday's decision of the European Court of Human Rights to urge the release of pro-Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtas who has been held for two years on terror charges.
"Make any decision you like in your glass palaces, hold any vote you like. We have never made concessions on our state as democracy governed by rule of law," said Erdogan, accusing Demirtas of inciting October 2014 protests where dozens of mainly Kurdish protesters died.
© 2018 AFP
