Turkey's Constitutional Court has closed down the Democratic Society Party (DTP) for having links with the outlawed Kurdish militants, the Turkish daily Hurriyet said.
The ruling, which was unanimously adopted by the court's 11 judges late on Friday after four days of deliberations, also expelled DTP chairman Ahmet Turk and another legislator, Aysel Tugluk, from parliament, barring them and 35 other party members from joining any political party for five years.
"It has been decided the DTP will be closed under Articles 68 and 69 of the Constitution and the Political Parties Law given that actions and statements made by the party became a focal point for terrorism against the indivisible integrity of the state," Hurriyet quoted Constitutional
Court Chairman Hasim Kilic as saying.
The DTP has been found guilty of cooperating with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is considered a terrorist group by Turkey and several other countries, including the EU and the United States.
The Kurds, who make up around 20% of the country's population of more than 70 million, have been fighting for autonomy in Turkey's southeast in a conflict that has lasted for 25 years and claimed 40,000 lives.
The court's decision could seriously threaten Turkey's aspirations to join the European Union.
The EU Swedish presidency expressed concern over the violation of Kurdish rights immediately after Turkey's Constitutional Court verdict.
The EU warned Ankara it would closely monitor the development of the situation which could lead to a major political crisis in the country and set back the reconciliation process between the government and the Kurdish militants.
MOSCOW, December 12 (RIA Novosti)
