Turkish court rules to keep Kavala in jail during trial

FILE PHOTO: Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala, jailed since 2017 on a charges of seeking to overthrow the government, is seen at an unspecified area in this undated handout photo received by Reuters, October 26, 2021. Anadolu Culture Center/Handout via REUTERS.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish court ruled on Friday to keep philanthropist Osman Kavala in prison, after four years in detention without conviction, in an ongoing trial which has further strained ties between Ankara and its Western allies.

Kavala was detained in October 2017 and jailed on accusations of attempting to oust the government by force. The case has been criticised as politically motivated and symbolic of a crackdown on dissent under President Tayyip Erdogan.