The constitutional court in Turkey will hear two crucial arguments this week in a case that seeks to ban the ruling party amid growing concern about the effect the party's closure would have on the country's bid to join the European Union.

The court's 11 judges, under intense public and political scrutiny, will hear verbal arguments tomorrow by Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya, chief prosecutor. He accuses the Justice and Development party (AKP) of tyring to impose sharia law on Turkey. He wants the party closed and its leaders banned from politics.