Turkish Court to Issue AK Party Verdict - Report

The AK Party has rejected the charges of Islamist activities. It points to its pro-reform, pro-business record in office as evidence.

Turkey's highest court will announce its much-anticipated verdict on whether to close the governing party on charges of Islamist activities on Wednesday, the Anatolian state news agency said.

The AK Party was re-elected with 47 percent of the vote last year and denies charges of violating the secular constitution by supporting Islamist activities.

Financial markets have rallied on optimism over the past week that the Constitutional Court will rule not to ban the party. The lira currency rose as much as 1.5 percent against the dollar and shares gained 4 percent.

Political analysts say that if the 11 judges reached a quick verdict, a more favourable outcome is likely for the governing party. The judges began deliberating on Monday. The case first reached the court in March.

Turkey's government is at odds with the secularist establishment, including the military and judiciary, over the role of religion in the officially secular but predominantly Muslim country. Critics say the court case amounts to a "judicial coup" against a democratically elected party.

The AK Party has rejected the charges of Islamist activities. It points to its pro-reform, pro-business record in office as evidence.

The case is as much about a power struggle between two competing elites over control of key institutions as whether the strict founding principles of modern Turkey are out of date.

Turkey's elite has long held sway over the country's direction by defending a strict set of secular principles, which the country was founded on in 1923.