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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Turkish ruling party put on trial | Turkish ruling party put on trial |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Turkey's chief prosecutor has appeared before the country's Constitutional Court calling for the governing party to be closed down. | Turkey's chief prosecutor has appeared before the country's Constitutional Court calling for the governing party to be closed down. |
| Founded by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Justice and Development Party, the AKP, won a landslide victory in the last election. | |
| But its critics say it is trying to impose Sharia law on the secular state. | |
| The party's attempt to ease a ban on the wearing of the Islamic headscarf is expected to be central to the evidence. | |
| Prosecutor Abdurraham Yalcinkaya, who has argued that the party has become the focal point of anti-secular activities in Turkey, is appearing before judges in a closed-door session. | Prosecutor Abdurraham Yalcinkaya, who has argued that the party has become the focal point of anti-secular activities in Turkey, is appearing before judges in a closed-door session. |
| "This risk has been increasing every day" reads the 162-page petition submitted to the Constitutional Court by Mr Yalcinkaya. | "This risk has been increasing every day" reads the 162-page petition submitted to the Constitutional Court by Mr Yalcinkaya. |
| "The danger is clear and concrete. There is no other way to protect society than to close the party down," it reads. | "The danger is clear and concrete. There is no other way to protect society than to close the party down," it reads. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| He is calling for the prime minister, president and 69 other party members to be banned from politics. | He is calling for the prime minister, president and 69 other party members to be banned from politics. |
| The AKP has condemned the case as an assault on democracy. A team representing the party are expected to present their defence on Thursday. | The AKP has condemned the case as an assault on democracy. A team representing the party are expected to present their defence on Thursday. |
| The EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has warned the case could jeopardise Turkey's bid to join the bloc - arguing such disputes should be resolved through the ballot box, not the courts. | The EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has warned the case could jeopardise Turkey's bid to join the bloc - arguing such disputes should be resolved through the ballot box, not the courts. |
| 'Plotters' held | 'Plotters' held |
| The AKP was formed after a previous pro-Islamic party was banned. Its founders have since steered a moderate path, pursuing democratic reforms and directing Turkey towards the EU, says the BBC's Sarah Rainsford. | The AKP was formed after a previous pro-Islamic party was banned. Its founders have since steered a moderate path, pursuing democratic reforms and directing Turkey towards the EU, says the BBC's Sarah Rainsford. |
| But they spent their political youth in the ranks of an overtly Islamist movement - and ardent secularists do not believe their views have changed. | But they spent their political youth in the ranks of an overtly Islamist movement - and ardent secularists do not believe their views have changed. |
| As the hearing opened, Turkish media said police had made a series of arrests of people believed to be linked to an anti-government network. | As the hearing opened, Turkish media said police had made a series of arrests of people believed to be linked to an anti-government network. |
| Two retired generals and a senior journalist were detained during an early morning swoop which broadcasters said was part of an investigation into an ultra-nationalist grouping called Ergenekon. | Two retired generals and a senior journalist were detained during an early morning swoop which broadcasters said was part of an investigation into an ultra-nationalist grouping called Ergenekon. |
| The group is reported to have planned political disturbances and is accused of trying to organise a coup against the government. The police have made no official comment on the arrests. | The group is reported to have planned political disturbances and is accused of trying to organise a coup against the government. The police have made no official comment on the arrests. |
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| Are you in Turkey? Do you think the AK Party is a threat to Turkey's secular values? Or is the establishment posing a threat to democracy by trying to shut down an elected party? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you in Turkey? Do you think the AK Party is a threat to Turkey's secular values? Or is the establishment posing a threat to democracy by trying to shut down an elected party? Send us your comments using the form below. |