Secularism Turkey's biggest guarantee: top court chief

Gerceker stressed that in a secular state, religious rule cannot be the source of activities of state organs and institutions as it is a personal matter. 

 

"Religion is an issue of a conscientious faith within the context of the private lives of people in a secular state," he told at his speech during the opening ceremony of the new judicial year.

 

"The state is impartial against all religious faiths," Gerceker also said.

 

Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan and Constitutional Court Chairman Hasim Kilic were among the high-level statesmen who attended the ceremony.

 

Secularism has been a hot topic in Turkey since the Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) took the helm in 2002. Judiciary officials have been issuing warnings on the activities that harm secularism, as the AKP had narrowly escaped being banned in late July.

 

Gerceker said every organ had to use its powers in accordance with the principles of the superiority of laws.

 

"Contrary approaches carry the risk of the political authority, which holds both the executive power and the majority in legislation, of transforming the current social order into a totalitarian regime to serve the interest of certain circles," he said.

 

Photo: AA