Turkey's top prosecutor demands closure of the governing AKP
Turkey's chief prosecutor, Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya, has filed a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court requesting the closure of ruling party AKP on Friday. The prosecutor accused AKP of being the center of anti-secular activities. the prosecutor also requested AKP officials', including Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul, ban from politics. Analysts warn the case likely to increase the political uncertainity in the mid-term. (UPDATED)
Yalcinkaya accused AKP of "being (the) focal point of anti-secular activities", the official Anatolian Agency reported. Turkish TV agencies said the prosecutor also requested AKP officials', including Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul, ban from politics.
AKP officials held an emergency meeting with legal advisers to discuss the court, while supporters of the party started to gather in front of the party's headquarter in Ankara, hurriyet.com.tr reported.
The Constitutional Court decided to close the Welfare Party, the party that the Islamist AKP has its roots, in 1997 for being the center of anti-secular activities.
"Everybody should think thoroughly what such a case against a ruling party which has overwhelming majority in the parliament, would bring (to Turkey) or take away from Turkey" Gul was quoted as saying by NTV television. When the reporters asked whether there is a similarity between the cases against AKP and the Welfare Party, Gul replied "Absolutely no", NTV reported.
Turkey's chief prosecutor, Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya, has filed a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court requesting the closure of ruling party AKP on Friday. The prosecutor accused AKP of being the center of anti-secular activities. the prosecutor also requested AKP officials', including Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul, ban from politics. Analysts warn the case likely to increase the political uncertainity in the mid-term. (UPDATED)
Yalcinkaya accused AKP of "being (the) focal point of anti-secular activities", the official Anatolian Agency reported. Turkish TV agencies said the prosecutor also requested AKP officials', including Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul, ban from politics.
AKP officials held an emergency meeting with legal advisers to discuss the court, while supporters of the party started to gather in front of the party's headquarter in Ankara, hurriyet.com.tr reported.
The Constitutional Court decided to close the Welfare Party, the party that the Islamist AKP has its roots, in 1997 for being the center of anti-secular activities.
"Everybody should think thoroughly what such a case against a ruling party which has overwhelming majority in the parliament, would bring (to Turkey) or take away from Turkey" Gul was quoted as saying by NTV television. When the reporters asked whether there is a similarity between the cases against AKP and the Welfare Party, Gul replied "Absolutely no", NTV reported.
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