For some pro-secular Turks, the prayer uttered by Ali Erbas, vocal head of the Religious Affairs Directorate, at the beginning of the 2021-22 judicial year sounded like a death prayer for the independent judiciary and Turkey’s secularism.

“The opening of the judiciary in this particular way is unacceptable in a state of law,” the Istanbul Bar Association said in a statement as the images of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Court of Cassation chair Mehmet Akarca in prayer dominated the news and social media. Erdogan and Akarca, who was wearing the judicial gown, were seen with raised hands alongside Erbas at a ceremony marking the opening of a new service building for the court and the start of the judicial year on Sept. 1.

“The principle of secularism … does not allow the judiciary to function with religious references. … A secular state which accepts the supremacy of law should guarantee justice for its citizens by keeping an equal distance from each faith. … Any move that belies this would give the appearance of a religious state,” the Istanbul Bar’s statement said.

Dogan Erkan, lawyer and member of the People’s Salvation Party, a small Communist party, filed a complaint with the Ankara Prosecutor’s Office against Erbas, Erdogan and Akarca for violating the secularism principle of the Turkish Constitution and abuse of office. Muharrem Ince, leader of the Homeland Party, criticized Erbas, the government and Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the opposition, who was at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “At the opening of the judicial year, they cut the rope on the state of law and secularism, while the opposition holds the other side of the ribbon. You’ll all go,” he tweeted.