Pop singer Gulson charged with inciting hatred after religious school joke

A Turkish pop singer is facing up to three years in prison after being accused of “inciting hatred and hostility” for making jokes about the country’s religious schools.

Singer-songwriter Gulson was jailed last week but was released four days later and placed under house arrest.

The allegations stem from a joke the singer made at a concert in April when she quipped that one of her musicians’ “perversions” came from a religious school.

Recently, a video of the singer commenting began circulating on social media with a hashtag calling for her arrest.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and many members of his Islamic ruling party are graduates of a religious school called Imam Hatip, These schools were originally established to train imams.

The 48-page indictment has 702 complainants, including individuals, pro-government women’s rights groups and an association of religious schools.

Turkey’s penal code criminalizes incitement to hatred and enmity against different groups in society based on class, race, religion or sect, requiring imprisonment in cases where public safety is threatened.

In her statement to police in the indictment, Gulson said she had joked with a band member nicknamed “Imam” who had not attended school.

“I have never uttered these words to insult or denigrate Imam Khatips’ students or a part of our country. My respect for all the country’s values ​​and sensitivities is eternal,” she said and denied the allegations .

The 46-year-old singer, whose full name is Gulsen Colakoglu, has previously been targeted in Islamic circles for revealing stage costumes and unfurling LGBTQ flags at concerts.

The court must approve the indictment before the trial can begin.

A request from Gulson’s lawyers for her to be released from house arrest was denied.