Turkey’s “strongman” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is going the extra mile in his trajectory of authoritarianism by challenging a Constitutional Court ruling.

The Constitutional Court issued a ruling Feb. 25 on the case of two imprisoned journalists, Cumhuriyet editor-in-chief Can Dundar and the daily's Ankara bureau chief Erdem Gul. The pair had been behind bars for the past three months, accused of espionage because of a news story that included images showing weapon transfers from Turkey to Syrian jihadi opposition factions.

Their high-profile case received international attention and became quite controversial. Even US Vice President Joe Biden, during his recent visit to Istanbul, met with the journalists' families. In a poignant show of solidarity, he told Dundar’s son that he could be proud of his father.

The Constitutional Court last week ruled that the men's imprisonment violated their rights. The court’s ruling compelled their release. The ruling was received by rejoicing crowds in front of the prison during the early hours of Feb. 27. The court — the highest judiciary body in Turkey — set a precedent that inspires hope for some 31 journalists who are still behind bars.