Turkish Constitutional Court accepts CHP appeal

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey’s Constitutional Court announced on Tuesday morning that it has accepted an indictment filed by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) against the government's referendum package passed in May.

The court said it will review the appeal request on procedural grounds, Today’s Zaman reported.

The court's decision on the package that includes articles that reform the judiciary is crucial for Turkey. Liberal jurists in the country say a ruling from the high court that cancels the public vote on the referendum scheduled for Sept. 12 would severely damage Turkey's democratization process.

The government's constitutional amendment package, which introduces new regulations in many areas, also makes structural changes to the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK). These two articles have been the most contentious changes in the package. The CHP in its appeal to the Constitutional Court claimed that the government's intended changes violate the constitutional principle of separation of powers by giving too much say to the government in the formation of the makeup of these two judicial bodies. The government says the high courts' juristocracy-like powers need to be reined in for Turkey to democratize, while the opposition accuses the government of trying to dominate the judiciary.