Mustafa Akyol, a Turkish writer and advocate for a tolerant form of Islam, says atheists are seen as the "ultimate other" in Turkey. "In the public consciousness, mostly among religious conservatives, atheists are seen as immoral and dirty -- all of the negative things you could imagine."
Such vitriol can result in serious harassment. Barbaros Sansal, a prominent fashion designer and activist, is also a well-known atheist. "I receive lots of messages with threats all the time because I'm an atheist," he says. "They want to kill me, they want to torture me, they ask me to leave the country, and so on."
MORE: http://www.ipsnews.net/2014/06/atheists-the-ultimate-other-in-turkey/
See also...
A Center for Atheism Opens Up in Turkey: "No Atheists Will Be Alone Anymore"
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/04/18/a-center-for-atheism-opens-up-in-turkey-no-atheists-will-be-alone-anymore/
Center for Atheism
http://www.ateizmdernegi.org/
