Day: November 1, 2021

New York, Nov. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Open Society Foundations join today with thousands of voices inside and outside Turkey, calling on the Turkish government to comply with the rule of law and end the imprisonment of Osman Kavala, the philanthropist and businessman who today marks his fourth year behind bars.

“The continued prosecution of this case shines a spotlight on the erosion of the rule of law in Turkey,” said Open Society Foundations President Mark Malloch-Brown. “Kavala has now spent more than 1,400 days in prison, even though he has never been convicted of a crime and top European and Turkish courts have ruled he should be freed.”

“The prosecution of this case is not about the law,” Malloch-Brown added. “It is an effort to silence independent voices like Kavala’s within Turkey.”

Kavala was originally arrested in 2017. He remains behind bars even though the European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2019 that he should be freed, citing the lack of evidence against him. Kavala was subsequently acquitted by a top Turkish court in 2020, and then immediately rearrested on additional bogus charges.

Before his arrest, Kavala ran a local foundation he had established to support the arts, culture, and human rights. He also served on the boards of a number of organizations including Open Society’s now-closed Turkish foundation. President Erdogan’s campaign of slander against Kavala has included distorting and misrepresenting his entirely open and legitimate contacts with Open Society and its founder George Soros.

“We call for justice to prevail and an end to the cruel imprisonment of Osman Kavala, who for decades has fought for basic, fundamental rights for all,” Malloch-Brown said.

Read more about Open Society’s work in Turkey. 

Office of Communications
Open Society Foundations 
(212) 548-0378
media@opensocietyfoundations.org

The World’s Largest Private Aviation Company Announces Latest Sustainability Metrics and Enters Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market in Europe

COLUMBUS, OHIO, Nov. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NetJets, the leader in private aviation with more than 760 aircraft worldwide, today celebrates the first anniversary of its Global Sustainability Program by sharing a progress update and highlights of the last year:

• Earlier this year, NetJets invested in the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through a deal with WasteFuel, which includes an offtake of 100 million gallons of SAF over the next decade.
• NetJets saw a 71% increase in Blue Skies® enrollment, which encourages Owners worldwide to take responsibility for the environmental impact of their flight by seamlessly purchasing the equivalent amount of carbon credits to ensure their flight activity is carbon neutral.
• In July, NetJets Europe (NJE) became the first customer to purchase Air bp’s sustainable aviation fuel, marking NJE’s entry into the SAF space.

The following global metrics outline the results of these and other collective sustainability efforts over the last year:

• Over 751,000 gallons of SAF uplifted
• 2.5 million nautical miles flown with SAF
• Approximately $100,000 in CO2 offset by NetJets admin and training flights

“The last year has seen some really exciting advancements for NetJets in our sustainability efforts,” said Brad Ferrell, Executive Vice President of Administrative Services. “We’re energized to see our peers in the private and commercial sectors making sustainability commitments of their own. In the years to come, NetJets looks forward to being at the forefront of sustainable aviation fuel and other initiatives that will keep our industry at the cutting-edge.”

A subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, NetJets aligns its Global Sustainability Program with the holding company’s commitment to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. To follow NetJets’ sustainability progress, visit https://www.netjets.com/en-us/sustainability.

About NetJets

Beginning as the first private jet charter and management company, NetJets® has led the industry for 55+ years. Then in 1986, they revolutionized it with the concept of shared ownership and proceeded to build the largest, most diverse private jet fleet in the world. Today, NetJets is proud to be a Berkshire Hathaway company known for its unwavering commitment to safety, service, and unmatched global access. NetJets’ industry-leading scale and business model offer NetJets and its Owners dependable financial sustainability unlike any other in the industry. For these reasons and many more, NetJets will continue to be the favored choice of the world’s most discerning travelers for generations to come. For more information about the world’s most reliable and trusted aviation company, please visit netjets.com.

KWT Global
netjets@kwtglobal.com