Erdogan backtracks after siding with court that defied top court’s ruling on lawmaker’s release

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s president has backpedaled after siding with a top appeals court that defied a Constitutional Court ruling calling for the release of an imprisoned opposition lawmaker. Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday adopted a more neutral stance after voicing support for the appeals court and renewed his call for a new constitution to resolve the dispute. This week, the court of appeals refused to abide by the Constitutional Court’s ruling for the release of Can Atalay who was elected to parliament in May while in prison. The clash between the two high courts heightened concerns over the further erosion of the rule of law in the country where the independence of the courts is frequently questioned.