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Senior officials of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have had to field questions over the premier statement, made to a German newspaper.
AKP deputies have denied that a report was being prepared on legislative changes to lift the ban but acknowledged that the issue was debated with non-governmental organisations at times.
The deputy chairman of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Mustafa Ozturk, said that he strongly opposed any such proposal being put forward. Ozturk said that the issue of removing the headscarf ban should not be raised, not even through a proposed amendment to the constitutional. The Constitutional Court, the Council of State and the European Court of Human Rights had all ruled that the ban on wearing the headscarf in public areas was legitimate, he said
“Freedom to wear the headscarf means changing the constitution,” Ozturk said. “Freeing the headscarf does not suit the conditions of Turkey. They (the AKP) are trying to give a message to their grassroots.”
Deniz Baykal, the chairman of the CHP, warned that the constitutional order of the Turkish republic could not be shaped according to the personal wishes of the Prime Minister. He also warned that Erdogan if he was to really table the issue it would cause a similar storm to that generated by his plans to criminalise adultery. | |
