Recep Tayyip Erdogan (file photo)

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized the country's top general for encouraging further protests over the killing of a high court judge.

Mr. Erdogan said Saturday that suggesting further protests can never be the right attitude.  He also called for strengthening Turkey's secular system and democracy.

On Friday, General Hilmi Ozkok, the chief of Turkey's General Staff, said mass protests against the killing of the judge and in favor of secularism should become permanent and involve everyone.

The gunman who killed the judge Wednesday told police he was protesting a court decision to ban Islamic headscarves in public institutions.  Mr. Erdogan and his pro-Islamic government opposed the ban.

Tens of thousands of angry protesters demonstrated in Ankara Thursday against the court attack and blamed the Erdogan government for the killing.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.