Are Muslim men free to observe their religion in Turkey? That was the question debated June 18 on pro-government TV channel Kanal A by four male panelists. The answer was intriguing, as two guests said, “No, Muslims are not free. For example, they cannot get married according their religion. The laws of secular Turkey dictate just one wife, so Muslims cannot take a second or third. Similarly, they cannot get rid of a restaurant that serves alcohol in their neighborhood.”
The guests were bothered that the Western world tries to impose its own views as if they are universal values, and they said that whenever Muslims in Turkey speak up against this, pro-Western media in Turkey blow it out of proportion, presenting Muslims as bigots and their demands as bigotry.