Constitutional Court says member's tweet doesn't reflect institutional view

Photo: AA/File

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The Presidency of the Constitutional Court has released a written statement on the debate started after a Twitter post by one of its members.

"Social media posts by any member of the Constitutional Court does not reflect the institutional identity of the Constitutional Court," it said.

"As it expressed in the press statement on the night of July 15, 2016, the Constitutional Court rejects every kind of non-democratic attempts against the constitutional order and stands with the democratic state of law," it added, referring to the failed coup attempt in July 2016.

In a tweet last night, top court member Engin Yıldırım shared the picture of the court at night and said, "The lights are on."

While some interpreted the judge's post as an implicit criticism against a local court that defied a Constitutional Court ruling about the main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) dismissed MP Enis Batur, government officials and pro-government media accused Yıldırım of implying a coup.

Checking out whether the lights of the General Staff had been a habit of Turkey's journalists since the 1960 coup as it might indicate an interference in the politics by the military.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said today that Yıldırım's tweet was an "unfortunate statement." (EMK/VK)