What did Gulsen say? Religious Schools controversy explained as Turkish singer is jailed

Turkish pop star Gulsen has been arrested after allegedly insulting the country’s Islamic high school system. The singer was taken away from her home for “inciting hatred and enmity” after joking about the religious schools attended by president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The songwriter has since taken to social media apologizing for her comments.

Gulsen, who is known as the "Turkish Madonna," was arrested on Thursday, August 25, after a video of her commenting on a fellow crew member during a performance went viral on social media. In the same, the 46-year-old singer claimed that her fellow artist

“Attended the Imam Hatip schools. That’s where the perversion comes from.”

The topic of Imam Hatip schools is immensely sensitive in the country as those belonging to the religious school network have been subjected to numerous s*xual assault scandals. It has also been reported that the same nefarious activities have been active under public funding.

Following the musician's arrest order being issued, Gulsen took to social media to apologize to millions of followers across social media platforms. She said that she did not intend to cause any harm or division.

She also noted that while she was "defending freedom of expression" with her "joke between colleagues," she apologised "to everyone who was offended."

Gulsen was reportedly arrested for “inciting people to hatred and hostility.” However, during questioning, the singer rejected the accusations and stated that she has “endless respect for the values and sensitivities of my country.”

The BBC reported that she is being held in custody pending trial.

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Opposition parties rally online for Gulsen’s release

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the country’s opposing party demanded judges and prosecutors to release the pop singer. He wrote online:

“Don’t betray law and justice; release the artist now!”

Responding to the opposition party’s leader, Erdogan’s AKP party defended their actions. A spokesperson for the party claimed that “inciting hatred is not an art form."

Spokesperson Ömer Çelik also tweeted:

“Targeting a segment of society with the allegation of “perversion” and trying to polarize Turkey is a hate crime and a disgrace to humanity.”

Showing the singer support, fellow Turkish pop star Tarkan also called for her release. In a tweet, the Kiss Kiss singer said:

“Our legal system, which turns a blind eye to corruption, thieves, those who break the law and massacre nature, those who kill animals and those who use religion to polarise society through their bigoted ideas – has arrested Gülşen in one whack.”

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Everything to know about Gulsen

The Turkish singer is best known for blending pop and traditional Ottoman music. Some of her hit makers include Dan Dan, Emrin Olur and Bangir Bangir. Gulsen’s first album Be Adam was released in 1995.

The pop artist trained in the Turkish Classical Music Department of Istanbul Technical University prior to becoming a national sensation.

Speaking about her influencer in the country, Kenan Behzat Sharpe, an American Research Institute in Istanbul scholar, said:

“She’s a really canonical figure. She’s been making music since the 1990s and is an institution. She has several songs that everyone in the country knows. You could say that she is like a Turkish Madonna, known for her stage presence and costumes and s*xual openness.”

This is not the first time the musician has angered Erdogan supporters. The musician is an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and has flown the Pride flag in several of her concerts. She has been shamed by critics in the past for her performance outfits and stage antics.