Turkish prosecutor threatens legal action against critics of bid to ban ruling party News
Turkish prosecutor threatens legal action against critics of bid to ban ruling party

[JURIST] Turkish Chief Prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya [official profile, in Turkish] said on Wednesday that critics of his decision to seek the disbanding of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) [party website, in Turkish] could face legal action. Yalcinkaya, who earlier this month petitioned the country's Constitutional Court to disband the AKP [JURIST report] and bar 71 politicians, including Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish President Abdullah Gul [BBC profiles], from holding political office for five years, directed his comments at government officials and media agencies. On Monday, the Constitutional Court unanimously voted [JURIST report] to hear Yalcinkaya’s case.

The Constitutional Court has banned several Islamist parties in the past for violating constitutional obligations to respect Turkey's strict secular principles. EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said last Saturday that a decision to ban the AKP could create an obstacle [JURIST report] to Turkey's bid to become a member of the EU [JURIST news archive]. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

US Supreme Court ruled Indians not US citizens

On November 3, 1884, the US Supreme Court ruled in Elk v. Wilkins that John Elk, an American Indian who had tried to vote in a federal election in Omaha, Nebraska, was not a US citizen entitled to the protection of the 14th and 15th Amendments of the US Constitution. Native Americans became eligible for citizenship in 1887 under the Dawes Act, but only in 1924, under the Indian Citizenship Act, were all Native Americans born in the US made citizens.

Last public execution at Tyburn Gallows in London

On November 3, 1783, the last public execution took place at Tyburn Gallows in London, when John Austin was hanged for highway robbery. From the hanging of William Fitz Osburn in 1196 until Austin's execution, Tyburn served as London's primary location for public executions.

Learn more about the trial of John Austin.