Turkish police have detained about 400 protestors following nationwide demonstrations against a ban on women wearing headscarves to university.

Although Turkey is a predominantly Muslim country, it has strict secular laws that forbid religious dress at schools and in public office.

The state argues that wearing the scarves has become an aggressive statement in favour of political Islam.

But the demonstrators say it is a matter of freedom of expression and their campaign has won the support of a number of international human rights groups.

'Illegal protest'

In Istanbul, nearly 200 people were held as hundreds attempted to form a giant human chain.

A helicopter flew over the route of the march and armoured vehicles were deployed nearby.

The office of the Istanbul governor had called on people on Saturday not to back the demonstrations which it dubbed "illegal".

About 200 people taking part in protests across the country were also taken into custody.

In Izmir, citizens passing the demonstrations shouted back, "Turkey is secular, it will remain secular".

The BBC correspondent in Ankara, Chris Morris, says many people believe those demanding the right to wear the headscarf ultimately want to force all women to cover up, whether they like it or not.

Court ruling

The democratic left, led by the Prime Minister, Bulent Ecevit - is staunchly secularist and supports the ban on the headscarves.

But its main coalition partner - the nationalist MHP - believes the prohibition is much too severe.

And it won big gains at the last election, partly by promising to solve the headscarf dispute.

The protest followed a ruling by Turkey's appeals court last week, which said a university in the Black Sea city of Samsun had the right to bar a student who wore a head scarf to classes.