Constitutional Court Explains Decision Not To Close AKP
Thursday in a reasoned opinion that it had fined the governing Justice and Development Party (AK Party) for undermining Turkey’s secular principles instead of shutting it down because of the party’s efforts to gain Turkey membership in the European Union and to improve women’s rights…
Nihat Ergün, chairman of the AK Party’s parliamentary group, said Friday that the opinion confirmed the AK Party’s success in pushing democratization and the EU process.
“The reasoned opinion has two aspects,” Ergün said. “One emphasizes that secularism is important, and it’s a warning to pay attention to sensitivities about secularism. The other aspect says the government is not aiming to erode secularism. It confirms that the government is democratizing Turkey. These two aspects should be evaluated together.”
Ergün also noted that the Constitutional Court had dismissed 370 pieces of the evidence against the AK Party, highlighting that only 30 statements and acts by AK Party officials were found to be anti-secular. But he said his party attached importance to the court’s finding that some words and actions were against secularism….
Freedom is always the freedom of the one who thinks differently, Constitutional Court President Hakim Kiliç quoted Rosa Luxemburg in the introduction to his statement against the court’s ruling that the AK Party has become a focal point of anti-secular activities. Kiliç was the only judge who voted against the focal point ruling.
(JW: I’m at a new computer and am unable to create a link. Until I figure it out, here is the link to cut and paste. Sorry about that.)
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=156903