2 members of Turkey's highest court removed from duty

ANKARA

Turkey's Constitutional Court ordered the dismissal of two of its two members from their posts Thursday.

The nation’s highest court announced that Alparslan Altan and Erdal Tercan were both dismissed from their posts.

On July 18, the court opened disciplinary proceedings to suspend Altan and Tercan, who were detained by the police after the July 15 coup attempt that sought to overthrow the country’s democratically elected government.

Turkey's government has repeatedly said the deadly July 15 coup attempt, which martyred at least 239 people and injured nearly 2,200 others, was organized by followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen and its terror organization FETO.

Gulen is also accused of implementing a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.

(Reporting by Aylin Sirikli; Writing by Fatma Bulbul)