Turkey

[I love Ashraf 0]

Turkey headscarf ruling attacked

Turkey's ruling AK Party has attacked the Constitutional Court over a ruling on headscarves.

The court blocked moves which would have allowed headscarves to be worn at universities. Judges said the move violated Turkey's secular principles.

But AK Party deputy chairman Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat said the court had itself breached the constitution.

He said it was authorised only to examine laws passed by parliament, not rule on their contents.

He was speaking after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan chaired a six-hour emergency meeting of top party members.

"The decision is a direct interference with parliament's authority," said Mr Firat. "It is a violation of the rule on the separation of powers."

Secular cornerstone Hundreds of people, many of them women in headscarves, protested in several cities across Turkey on Friday to express their anger at the court's move.

The court said the government's move to overturn the ban violated the constitution's secular principles.

The ruling could foreshadow the outcome of a case in which the AK Party could be banned, correspondents say.

Turkey's chief prosecutor says the ruling AKP is "the focal point of anti-secular activities" and is seeking to have it disbanded.

Some 71 members of the party, including the prime minister and the president, could also be banned from belonging to a political party for five years.

The prosecution case cites the constitutional amendment allowing girls to wear headscarves to university as evidence that the AK Party - which has Islamist roots - has an anti-secular agenda.

The government argues that banning headscarves at colleges stops many Muslim girls being educated and says it is a matter of personal freedom.

The Turkish press agreed that the ruling upholding the headscarf ban had been Mr Erdogan's "greatest political defeat" since the AKP came to power in 2002.

Some within the AKP believe members will have to set up a new party only a year after it won a convincing poll victory, says the BBC's David O'Byrne in Istanbul.

Are you in Turkey? What is your reaction to the latest developments? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below, or text them to: +44 7624 800 100

Name Your E-mail address Town & Country Phone number (optional): Comments Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/7441227.stm

Published: 2008/06/06 21:02:58 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7441227.stm

[zqt3344 21]

Ok so break it down for us, what is going on over there in Turkey land? What is the big deal over head scarves? Why is it such a big deal to take them off for? I mean who would want that thing covering their head all day long, can you imagine how hot and sweaty and ratty your hair would get all the time and how those headscarves must stank!

Turkey headscarf ruling attacked

Turkey's ruling AK Party has attacked the Constitutional Court over a ruling on headscarves.

The court blocked moves which would have allowed headscarves to be worn at universities. Judges said the move violated Turkey's secular principles.

But AK Party deputy chairman Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat said the court had itself breached the constitution.

He said it was authorised only to examine laws passed by parliament, not rule on their contents.

He was speaking after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan chaired a six-hour emergency meeting of top party members.

"The decision is a direct interference with parliament's authority," said Mr Firat. "It is a violation of the rule on the separation of powers."

Secular cornerstone Hundreds of people, many of them women in headscarves, protested in several cities across Turkey on Friday to express their anger at the court's move.

The court said the government's move to overturn the ban violated the constitution's secular principles.

The ruling could foreshadow the outcome of a case in which the AK Party could be banned, correspondents say.

Turkey's chief prosecutor says the ruling AKP is "the focal point of anti-secular activities" and is seeking to have it disbanded.

Some 71 members of the party, including the prime minister and the president, could also be banned from belonging to a political party for five years.

The prosecution case cites the constitutional amendment allowing girls to wear headscarves to university as evidence that the AK Party - which has Islamist roots - has an anti-secular agenda.

The government argues that banning headscarves at colleges stops many Muslim girls being educated and says it is a matter of personal freedom.

The Turkish press agreed that the ruling upholding the headscarf ban had been Mr Erdogan's "greatest political defeat" since the AKP came to power in 2002.

Some within the AKP believe members will have to set up a new party only a year after it won a convincing poll victory, says the BBC's David O'Byrne in Istanbul.

Are you in Turkey? What is your reaction to the latest developments? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below, or text them to: +44 7624 800 100

Name Your E-mail address Town & Country Phone number (optional): Comments Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/7441227.stm

Published: 2008/06/06 21:02:58 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7441227.stm

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Ok so break it down for us, what is going on over there in Turkey land? What is the big deal over head scarves? Why is it such a big deal to take them off for? I mean who would want that thing covering their head all day long, can you imagine how hot and sweaty and ratty your hair would get all the time and how those headscarves must stank!

From what I recall Turkey's secular movement held widespread demonstrations to protest the appointment of known religious opponents, the AK party (who have Islamic roots), into government positions. The fear was that the ruling AK party would start putting religion into their government making religious practices mandatory for those that were not religious; that largely being the secular population.

So what we are seeing now is the continuation of the politicial/religious battles. For now it looks to be that the secular party has won one political battle but religious freedom was lost to others.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

Ok so break it down for us, what is going on over there in Turkey land? What is the big deal over head scarves? Why is it such a big deal to take them off for? I mean who would want that thing covering their head all day long, can you imagine how hot and sweaty and ratty your hair would get all the time and how those headscarves must stank!

From what I recall Turkey's secular movement held widespread demonstrations to protest the appointment of known religious opponents, the AK party (who have Islamic roots), into government positions. The fear was that the ruling AK party would start putting religion into their government making religious practices mandatory for those that were not religious; that largely being the secular population.

So what we are seeing now is the continuation of the politicial/religious battles. For now it looks to be that the secular party has won one political battle but religious freedom was lost to others.

when all else fails, the military will take over and boot the religious people out of the government. attaturk wanted a secular country and the military is charged with ensuring it is that way, even if they have to stage a coup.

[zqt3344 21]

Great, Atuk or Aturk knew what a bunch of radicals those muslims with their religion would be and how they would try to shove it off on the rest of Turkey and ruin it for all. Too bad the rest of Middle East is not this way. All the Muslim religion is used for in those countries is a tool to repress and keep their citizens dumb and stupid and under control, all in the name of Allah or their Muslim religion tells them so. Open your eyes people. Break the chain of torture in your life and rebel against it now!

Ok so break it down for us, what is going on over there in Turkey land? What is the big deal over head scarves? Why is it such a big deal to take them off for? I mean who would want that thing covering their head all day long, can you imagine how hot and sweaty and ratty your hair would get all the time and how those headscarves must stank!

From what I recall Turkey's secular movement held widespread demonstrations to protest the appointment of known religious opponents, the AK party (who have Islamic roots), into government positions. The fear was that the ruling AK party would start putting religion into their government making religious practices mandatory for those that were not religious; that largely being the secular population.

So what we are seeing now is the continuation of the politicial/religious battles. For now it looks to be that the secular party has won one political battle but religious freedom was lost to others.

when all else fails, the military will take over and boot the religious people out of the government. attaturk wanted a secular country and the military is charged with ensuring it is that way, even if they have to stage a coup.