Turkish President Tayyip Erdan said Saturday that he ordered 10 Western ambassadors to be declared ‘persona nu grata’ by the Foreign Ministry for his call for Osman Kavala, a philanthropist.

Kavala, who is being held in jail for four years on charges of financing protests across the country in 2013 as well as involvement in a failed coup attempt in 2016, has spent most of his time in prison. He denied the allegations.

The ambassadors to Canada, Denmark (France), Germany, Norway, Sweden and Finland called for Kavala’s “immediate release” and a speedy and fair resolution in a joint statement issued Oct 18. The foreign ministry summoned them and called their statement reckless.

“I have given the appropriate order to our foreign minister, and said what needed to be done. The 10 ambassadors should immediately be declared persona nugra. Erdogan made the remarks in Eskisehir (northern Turkey) during a speech.

“They will be able to understand Turkey.” To cheers from the crowd, he stated that “they will not understand Turkey until they know it.”

Requests for comment were not received by the U.S. State Department and White House.

Kavala was exonerated last year on charges related the the 2013 protests. But, this year the ruling was reversed and Kavala was also charged with another case related the attempt to overthrow the government.

His case, according to rights organizations, is emblematic for Erdogan’s clampdown on dissident voices.

Kavala stated Friday that he would not be able to attend the trial because a fair hearing is impossible due to Erdogan’s recent remarks.

Erdogan was quoted as saying that the Ambassadors concerned would not allow terrorists to be freed in their countries.

Kavala wrote that she believed there was no way for a fair trial given these circumstances.

In late 2019, the European Court of Human Rights demanded Kavala be released immediately, stating that there was no reason to suspect that he had committed any offence and that his imprisonment had been designed to silence him.

In the case Selahattin demirtas (ex-head of the prokurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), currently in prison for almost five years), it issued an identical ruling.

If Kavala isn’t released, the Council of Europe will initiate infringement proceedings against Turkey.

On Nov. 26, Kavala, along with others, will be heard again.