Turkish ruling AKP to present its defence in court
03/07/2008
ANKARA, Turkey -- It is the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) turn to make its case Thursday (July 3rd) before the Constitutional Court, amid efforts to ban the party for allegedly threatening secularism in Turkey. Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek is expected to stress the AKP's integrity and to argue that the indictment stems from incorrect information and false claims. Chief Prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya filed the case in March requesting liquidation of the party and banning of 70 of its senior officials from politics. Yalcinkaya presented his arguments to the court Tuesday.
In other news, deputy chief prosecutor Turan Colakkad announced on Wednesday that an indictment is ready for filing against the ultra-nationalist secularist group Ergenekon, which is suspected of plotting a coup against the government. It charges that alleged members formed a terrorist organisation that planned to launch a destabilisation effort early next week involving assassinations. Police arrested at least 24 people recently in connection with the case. (Hurriyet, Sabah, AFP, DPA, Zaman, Turkish Daily News, Reuters, International Herald Tribune, Washington Post - 03/07/08)
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