Türkiye’s Supreme Court of Appeals, or Yargıtay, upheld the ruling in the Gezi Park protests case, which sentenced jailed businessperson Osman Kavala to life in prison.

The ruling on the case, which had a total of eight defendants — including former Worker Party (TIP) lawmakers Can Atalay, Tayfun Kahraman, Mine Özerden and Çiğdem Mater Utku — sentenced to 18 years in prison for aiding the attempt to overthrow the government, was approved by the top court on Thursday.

The latest ruling came in response to an appeal submitted against Istanbul 13th High Penal Court's decision made on April 25, 2022.

Kavala, 64, has been in jail for over five years and denies the charges that he and 15 others faced over the Gezi Park protests, which began as small demonstrations in Istanbul and transformed into violent nationwide riots, which left eight protesters and a police officer dead.

He was acquitted of all charges in February 2020, before an appeals court overturned this verdict.

He was also accused of involvement in the 2016 defeated coup orchestrated by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and was remanded in custody on espionage charges.

Ankara nearly expelled 10 Western countries' envoys, including the U.S. and major European powers, after they made an appeal for Kavala's release in October 2021.