On 20 February, Turkish state media broadcasted the intention of the Turkish prosecutor to sentence to life the 16 demonstrators over the 2013 Gezi protests. Among the 16 defendants is businessman and rights activist Osman Kavala for allegedly financing protests in Turkey in 2013 and attempting a coup on the government, claims that he has denied. In summer 2013, small demonstrations in Istanbul’s Gezi Park grew into a nationwide wave of protests against the government. State broadcaster TRT announced that the indictment included also famous actor Mehmet Ali Alabora, who was vocal during the protests, and journalist Can Dundar, who fled abroad after being sentenced to jail over espionage charges and is being tried for other cases. Human rights groups and European Parliament members have repeatedly called on Turkey to release Kavala and the other detainees.