![Supporters of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) hold placards as they walk with the party's leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu (not pictured) during the second day of a protest, dubbed a "justice march", against the detention of CHP lawmaker Enis Berberoglu, in Saray near Ankara, Turkey June 16, 2017. Placards read "Justice". REUTERS/Osman Orsal - RTS17CJ8](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/06/RTS17CJ8.jpg/RTS17CJ8.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=6E_OvDqp)
Mustafa Akyol is a columnist for Al-Monitor's Turkey Pulse, a columnist for the Turkish Hurriyet Daily News and a contributing opinion writer for The International New York Times. His articles have also appeared in Foreign Affairs, Newsweek, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian. He is the author of Islam Without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty. Akyol is currently a visting senior fellow at the Freedom Project at Wellesley College. On Twitter: @AkyolinEnglish
![Supporters of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) hold placards as they walk with the party's leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu (not pictured) during the second day of a protest, dubbed a "justice march", against the detention of CHP lawmaker Enis Berberoglu, in Saray near Ankara, Turkey June 16, 2017. Placards read "Justice". REUTERS/Osman Orsal - RTS17CJ8](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/06/RTS17CJ8.jpg/RTS17CJ8.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=6E_OvDqp)
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Mustafa Akyol
![Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech at the ruling AK Party's headquarters in Ankara, Turkey, May 2, 2017. REUTERS/Umit Bektas - RTS14S96](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/05/RTS14S96.jpg/RTS14S96.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=qMVv9Aze)
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Mustafa Akyol
![Ulker_Protest1.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/04/Ulker_Protest1.jpg/Ulker_Protest1.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=ekcn81WV)
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Mustafa Akyol
![Protesters from human rights organisation Mazlumder hold torches during a demonstration in Istanbul January 26, 2008. Students may soon be allowed to wear the Muslim headscarf in Turkish universities, a watershed for a devout, growing middle class that has long complained of discrimination against its faith. Picture taken on January 26, 2008. To match feature TURKEY-HEADSCARF REUTERS/Fatih Saribas (TURKEY) - RTR1WHXV](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/03/RTR1WHXV.jpg/RTR1WHXV.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=-J5UQ-IM)
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Mustafa Akyol
![A large image of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan placed outside the Turkish consulate during protests in Rotterdam, Netherlands March 11, 2017. REUTERS/YDylan Martinez - RTX30MGU](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/03/RTX30MGU.jpg/RTX30MGU.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=nzcMTmtE)
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Mustafa Akyol
![A supporter of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds a flag before Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim is expected to address a crowd of around 10,000 in Oberhausen, Germany, February 18, 2017, to promote Turkey's constitution referendum on April 16, 2017. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay - RTSZ91P](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/03/RTSZ91P.jpg/RTSZ91P.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=I05TvYsH)
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Mustafa Akyol
![Turkish_Cartoon.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/02/Turkish_Cartoon.jpg/Turkish_Cartoon.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=2p-21B7K)
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Mustafa Akyol
![ReisFilm.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/02/ReisFilm.jpg/ReisFilm.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=Dhbbp13P)
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Mustafa Akyol
![People gather to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order travel ban at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), California, U.S. January 31, 2017. REUTERS/Monica Almeida - RTX2Z2ZB](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/02/rtx2z2zb.jpg/rtx2z2zb.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=f-zt5jCC)
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Mustafa Akyol
![Ahmet_Tasgetiren.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/01/Ahmet_Tasgetiren.jpg/Ahmet_Tasgetiren.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=aN5Pjpgo)
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Mustafa Akyol
![Students attend a geometry class at Fatih College in Istanbul February 21, 2014. Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan, shaken by a graft scandal he says is concocted by a former ally, is fighting to secure his political future in the run up to March polls. But more than that, he sees at stake the legacy of an 11-year drive to reshape Turkey, breaking the hold of a secular, urban elite. Picture taken February 21, 2014. To match Insight TURKEY-ERDOGAN/ REUTERS/Osman Orsal (TURKEY - Tags: EDUCATION POLITICS RELIGION)](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/01/RTR3G2AM.jpg/RTR3G2AM.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=WBcT9mJo)
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Mustafa Akyol