Atheism Association (Turkey)

Ateizm Derneği (English: Association of Atheism) is a Turkish non-profit organisation that describes itself as a freethinker association[1] founded on 16 April 2014 for the promotion and advocacy of the concept of atheism, and serves to support irreligious people and freethinkers in Turkey who are discriminated against based on their views. Ateizm Derneği is headquartered in Kadıköy, Istanbul.[2] As of 2019, its president is Selin Özkohen.[3]

Ateizm Derneği
Founded16 April 2014
TypeNon-profit organisation
FocusPromotion of atheism
Protection of nonreligious people
Location
Area served
Turkey
Key people
Süleyman Karan
Websiteateizmdernegi.org.tr

History

At the time of the foundation, the organisation was headed by a board consisting of eleven members, presided by Tolga İnci. It is the first legally recognised Turkish atheist organisation, and simultaneously one of the first in the Muslim-majority world.[2]

The direct cause to form the organisation was a remark made by president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,[2] who has stimulated tendencies to Islamise Turkey, and said "... despite the [protests of] leftists, despite those atheists. They are terrorists", referring to his enforcement of construction plans, despite student protests in Ankara.[4]

Istanbul branch of Ateizm Derneği

The foundation of the association has bureaucratically run smoothly, but the association has installed surveillance cameras because of harassment and threats, telephone recording devices and a panic button for faster reaching the police.[5]

In 2015, Ateizm Derneği was featured in Dorothée Forma's Dutch documentary film Among Nonbelievers, where several of its members were interviewed by former Dutch Member of Parliament and Dutch Humanist Association president Boris van der Ham.[6]

In 2018, it was reported in some media outlets that the Ateizm Derneği would close down because of the pressure on its members and attacks by pro-government media, but the association itself issued a clarification that this was not the case and that it was still active.[7][8]

Recognition and awards

Ateizm Derneği was recognised by the European Union as the representative organisation of Turkish atheists in June 2014.[9]

In 2017, the association won the International League of Non-religious and Atheists's Sapio Award for being the first organisation in the Middle East defending the rights of atheists.[3]

Hate speech and persecution against atheists

Association members are targeted and received death threats,[10][11] [12] access to associations web sites was blocked in Turkey with alleged charges of possible disturbance to law and order . [13]

In November 2021, during a stereotyping hate speech AKP writer Emine Şenlikoğlu said, “Atheism and deism are like the animal kingdom..." Şenlikoğlu said, "Father and daughter, mother and son and sibling in atheism or deism indulge in incest."[14] Ateizm Derneği filed criminal complaint against the hate speech.[14]

References
  1. https://www.ateizmdernegi.org.tr/tanim/
  2. CEMB (19 May 2014). "First legal atheist organisation formed in Turkey". Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  3. Daniela Wakonigg (17 June 2017). ""Es sollte keinen Mut erfordern müssen, Atheist zu sein"". Diesseits (in German). Humanistischer Pressedienst. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  4. "Turkish PM Erdoğan calls protesters atheists, leftists, terrorists". Hürriyet Daily News. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  5. "Ateizm Derneği'ne panik butonu". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 5 May 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  6. Dorothée Forma (2015). "Among Nonbelievers". Humanistische Omroep. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  7. "Turkey's Atheism Association threatened by hostility and lack of interest | Ahval". Ahval. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  8. www.ateizmdernegi.org.tr, Ateizm Derneği-. "Durmak Yok, Yola Devam" (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 21 October 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  9. "The Association of Atheism officially recognized by the European Union". Ateizm Derneği. Info-Turk.be. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  10. "Milli Gazete, Ateizm Derneği'ni hedef gösterdi". haber.sol.org.tr. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  11. "»Den Einfluss der Türkei halte ich für brandgefährlich«". junge Welt. 11 August 2016.
  12. "Wir sind kein Vieh! | Internationaler Bund der Konfessionslosen und Atheisten e.V. (IBKA)". www.ibka.org. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  13. "Ateizm Derneği'ne erişim engeli". aydinlikgazete.com. 3 March 2015. Archived from the original on 29 December 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  14. "Ateizm Derneği, Emine Şenlikoğlu hakkında suç duyurusunda bulundu". www.cumhuriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). 2 November 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
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