A Turkish court has handed down a suspended sentence of 10 months in prison to pop star Gulsen for incitement to hatred and hostility. The singer-songwriter, whose full name is Gulsen Colakoglu, was briefly jailed last year after a video of her comments from four months earlier surfaced on a pro-government website. She made the remark during an April performance, referring to a musician in her band who had previously studied at an Imam Hatip school, stating “That’s where his perversion comes from”.
Gulsen apologized for the comment and stated that it was a joke made in passing. However, her arrest and subsequent sentence have sparked outrage among critics who believe she was targeted for her liberal views, including her support for LGBT+ rights, which go against the Islamist-rooted AK Party led by President Tayyip Erdogan.
The Istanbul court’s decision means that Gulsen will not serve prison time unless she is convicted of another charge within the next five years. The verdict has raised concerns among human rights groups who fear that it may embolden further censorship and crackdowns on freedom of speech in Turkey.
This case highlights the ongoing tensions between liberal and conservative factions in Turkey, particularly when it comes to issues such as LGBT+ rights. Erdogan himself studied at an Imam Hatip school, which were originally founded by the state to educate young men to be imams and preachers. The ruling also reflects the AK Party’s tightening grip on power, particularly since a failed coup attempt in 2016, which led to a crackdown on dissenting voices in the country.
Overall, this case illustrates the growing concern over the erosion of civil liberties and freedom of expression in Turkey, and the need for continued efforts to protect these fundamental rights.