The modern turkish state has been suppressing various kinds of intellectuals since its foundations via forced secularism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seculari

The modern turkish state has been suppressing various kinds of intellectuals since its foundations via forced secularism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularism_in_Turkey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularism_in_Turkey what has happened is a shift in who is being suppressed, rather than the ab-initio creation of suppression. This is hinted at but not actually elucidated in the article: This measure was both practical and symbolic: The decaying Ottoman Empire had given way to a rebellious new nation that required statesmen (like himself) who were dedicated to secularism, modernity and nationalism. AKA required actually means required here, not just 'required in some sort of abstract sense of fitting in with the zeitgeist' the omission is unsurprising, since previous suppression fits secularist editorial bias of NYT, whereas current suppression does not. this is neither to say that I am in favor of either, nor that there was/was not intellectual freedom under ottoman times.