In a press statement released yesterday, the Human Rights Association (ÝHD) and the Modern Lawyers' Association (ÇHD) said that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) uses the judiciary as a tool of intimidation against the party's opponents.

The spokesman of the group, Selçuk Kozaðaçlý, said that, while the judicial reforms of last year's September 12 referendum increased the government's hegemony in the judicial system, they were merely a prelude of greater reforms to come. "The main issue is the question, who will control the state-affairs?" Kozaðaçlý said.

The organizations of prosecutors and judges are under threat because of the close relationship between the judiciary and policy makers. For instance, the closing of Yragý-Sen (the syndicate organization of Judges and Prosecutors) is an indicator of the repression of these judicial organizations.

Kozaðaçlý said that isolation cannot be accepted and that the government has not taken any steps toward solving the problems with prisons and prisoners. He also pointed out that in terms of political prisoners , Turkey has more political prisoners than China.