Agnosticism

World-renowned Turkish pianist Faz?l Say was awarded the "2015 International Secularism Prize" (Prix de la Laïcité) by the France Committee of Secularism on Oct. 26.

The event was hosted at the Paris Municipality Building with the attendance of French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, along with other guests.

At a non-descript office block in the Kad?köy neighborhood of Istanbul's Asian side, the "Atheism Association" has its HQ, nestled among stores selling electronic devices, musical equipment, and old CDs. 

The office consists of just a single table and a few chairs. There, ?ener Atik from the association spoke to Hürriyet about their struggle.

Turkey's main opposition party has called on Islamic countries to adopt secularism in order to end the roots of terrorism, denouncing last week's deadly Paris attacks and stressing that "killing innocent people has nothing to do with Islam."

Hayrettin Karaman, professor emeritus of Islamic law and columnist for daily Yeni Şafak, is an important figure in Turkey. He is known to be deeply respected by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan and his ideas are known to be widely appreciated by the members of the incumbent Justice and Development Party (AKP).