By Kubilay Celik

ANKARA

Turkey lifted its two-year-old state of emergency as of Thursday 1 a.m. local time (2200 GMT Wednesday).

The government declared a state of emergency for the first time on July 20, 2016 following a deadly coup attempt orchestrated by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

To enact a state of emergency, the government must foresee serious indications of widespread violence which may interfere with the democratic environment or basic constitutional rights and freedoms of its citizens.

In April, the government renewed the state of emergency for the seventh time.

Ankara accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.