Turkish pop star Gülşen Çolakoğlu drew headlines after being detained on charges of inciting hatred and hostility and insulting the public, following controversy sparked by jokes about religious schools in Turkey. The charges were reported by Anatolia, the state news agency, amid a viral social media clip from a Gülşen concert in April in which a joke about a fellow musician was shared. The remarks were tied to Imam Hatip schools, a system that blends religious instruction with the national curriculum. Critics in Turkey surfaced online with a hashtag demanding her arrest, arguing that linking religious schools with perverted behavior was unacceptable and disrespectful.
Gülşen’s legal team, led by lawyer Emek Emre, asserted that the artist did not commit a crime and objected to the detention. After the arrest, Gülşen issued a public apology on her official social media channel, stating that anyone offended by the joke had her sympathy and noting that the joke was misrepresented by people aiming to polarize the country. In her post, she expressed regret for the offense caused and emphasized that the remarks were intended as a lighthearted moment among colleagues who had worked together for years. She also asserted that the incident had been seized upon by malicious actors seeking division within Turkish society.
Yıldız, speaking in another recent statement, described the joke as a poor choice of humor and urged for the singer’s release. As a parent with a child dependent on her, she indicated willingness to appear in court or at a police station if required, underscoring the personal stakes involved for families affected by the case. The broader social reaction has reflected longstanding tensions over freedom of expression, cultural norms, and the role of humor in political and religious debates within Turkey.
Historically, Gülşen has faced criticism from conservative segments of Turkish society for her stage outfits and her expressed support for LGBT rights. Turkey is a majority Muslim nation that operates as a secular republic in practice, yet remains deeply divided on issues of secularism, women’s rights, and LGBTQ rights. Imam Hatip Schools, which teach religious studies alongside the standard Turkish curriculum, have grown considerably over the past two decades, buoyed in part by political support from the ruling Justice and Development Party AKP. These schools are known for preparing students to become imams or religious instructors. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who aligned with many AKP members during the party’s ascent, attended a similar kind of religious-focused schooling in his early years, which has contributed to ongoing debates about how education about faith intersects with national identity and civil rights in Turkey.