Erdogan slams envoy call for jailed philanthropist’s release

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish media reports say President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized the ambassadors of 10 countries over their call for the release of a jailed philanthropist, calling their demand “irresponsible.” Erdogan reportedly suggested that the envoys, including those from the U.S., Germany and France, were not welcome in Turkey, according to the Haberturk website and other Turkish news outlets. Ambassadors representing 10 countries were summoned to Turkey’s foreign ministry on Tuesday after releasing a statement calling for a fair and timely resolution to the case of Osman Kavala, a businessman and philanthropist held in prison since 2017 despite not having been convicted of a crime.