Turkish Religious Affairs Directorate news portal refutes fictional atheist imam in satirical website Zaytung story

ISTANBUL

A story featuring an atheist imam that appeared on satirical Turkish website "Zaytung" has been refuted by the website for personnel working in the Directorate of Religious Affairs, despite being fictional.

The Zaytung story included an imam named Seyfi Çalışkan living in the Ortancalar village of the southwestern province of Muğla, who performs his job professionally despite being an atheist in his personal life.

"According to the office of mufti in Milas there is no employee named Seyfi Çalışkan and no village called Ortancalar in Muğla," Diyanethaber.com.tr posted.

"Religion should not be taken as a subject for humor," it also said, referring to an "immoral story on an immoral website."

Zaytung publishes false and satirical stories in a journalistic style, carrying the motto: “honest, independent, immoral news.”