Mustafa Akyol is a Turkish writer and journalist with a regular column in the English-language paper Hurriyet Daily News. Akyol is a committed advocate for freedom of expression at a time when Turkey has increased its crackdown on the media, with journalists facing threats, raids, and prison sentences. He is an expert on Islamic issues who argues against religious extremism from a Muslim point of view. Akyol’s 2011 book “Islam Without Extremes” called for an interpretation of Islam that fuses liberal ideas with a respect for religious tradition. He has also appeared on programs such as BBC’s “Hard Talk” and CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS,” and is a contributing opinion writer for The International New York Times.