Turkey's ruling AKP submits preliminary defence in closure case

01/05/2008

ANKARA, Turkey -- The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) submitted its preliminary defence Wednesday (April 30th) in the closure case filed against it by Chief Prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya. He says the AKP is now "a focal point of anti-secular activities" and wants 71 senior officials banned from politics for the next five years. They include Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul. (Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal - 01/05/08; NTV, Hurriyet, Reuters - 30/04/08)