Turkish pop star Gulsen was arrested today after the Istanbul prosecutor’s office opened an investigation against her on charges of “inciting hatred and enmity” over a comment she made on stage about religious educational institutions.
The singer-songwriter, whose full name is Gulsen Bayraktar Tsobanoglu, tweeted that she was joking with colleagues at a performance she gave in April and apologized to those she offended. She added that some took the opportunity to use her words to polarize society.
The Hurriyet newspaper and other media outlets reported that Istanbul’s deputy prosecutor launched an investigation and the education ministry condemned the comment and launched its own legal process.
According to the DHA agency, Gulsen gave a statement to Istanbul police, was taken to court and later arrested.
The number of Imam Hatip religious schools has skyrocketed under the rule of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who overturned decades of restrictions on religion. The state-run Diyanet (Directorate of Religious Affairs) has also grown in influence (and budget) in recent years, with the opposition accusing Erdogan of using religion to win votes ahead of the next election in 2023.
Source: Capital
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