Court lifts singer Gülşen's house arrest

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A court has lifted the house arrest of the singer Gülşen Bayraktar-Çolakoğlu, who has been indicted for "provoking the public into hatred and hostility."

Examining the appeal of the singer, the İstanbul 7th Heavy Penal Court lifted the house arrest with an international travel ban. The singer will also have to check in to a police station once a week.

Prosecutors opened an investigation against Gülşen after a video excerpt from her concert on April 30 began to circulate on social media.

In the video, Gülşen jokingly calls a colleague "pervert" because he is a graduate of a religious vocational school.

Gülşen was arrested on August 25 and placed under house arrest on August 29.

On September 6, the İstanbul 11th Penal Court of First Instance accepted the indictment against the pop singer Gülşen, who is now facing up to three years in prison.

What happened?

• On August 25, pro-government media outlets and social media accounts began to circulate a video excerpt from an April 30 concert of Gülşen, where she joked about a a member of her band, saying he was "a pervert because he is an imam-hatip graduate."

• The imam-hatip schools are religious schools training Muslim clerics and preachers. Many senior government officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, are imam-hatip graduates.

• Senior government officials condemned Gülşen over her remarks.

• Prosecutors quickly opened an investigation, with the singer being detained and brought to the courthouse. A judgeship ordered her arrest for "provoking the people into hatred and hostility."

• In her testimony, she said it was an "unfortunate joke" and demanded her release. The court ruled for her arrest.

• On August 29, Gülşen was released to house arrest.

• Gülşen has long been targeted by pro-government circles because of her support for LGBTI+ rights and stage costumes.

(TY/VK)