Turkey's Erdoğan orders 10 ambassadors declared 'persona non grata' over calls on Kavala case
The ambassadors of 10 countries including Germany and the United States who appealed for the release of jailed businessman Osman Kavala will be declared "persona non grata," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Saturday. "I have ordered our foreign minister to declare these 10 ambassadors as persona non grata as soon as possible," he said in a statement.
- World
- Agencies and A News
- Published Date: 05:10 | 23 October 2021
- Modified Date: 06:26 | 23 October 2021
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Saturday he had ordered the foreign ministry to declare 10 ambassadors -- including from the United States, Germany and France -- 'persona non grata' for calling for the release of jailed businessman Osman Kavala.
"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," Erdoğan said in a speech to a crowd in northwest Turkey's Eskişehir.
"This is Turkey. This is not a tribal state you think it is!" Erdoğan said, referring to the top diplomats, also calling the U.S., Germany, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden "impertinent."
The foreign ministry summoned the ambassadors on Tuesday for what it said was an "irresponsible" statement calling for a just and speedy resolution to Kavala's case. He has been in prison since late 2017, charged with financing the Gezi riots and participating in a failed FETO-led coup attempt.
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