The detention of a Turkish pop diva for a remark she made about religious schools has sparked outrage among critics of the government, who see it as set on punishing individuals who disagree with its conservative ideas.
Gulsen, a pop singer, was arrested pending trial on a charge of inciting to hatred on Thursday after a video of a comment she made on stage in April was broadcast by a pro-government media site.
‘He previously attended an Imam Hatip (school). That is the source of his perversion,’ in the video, Gulsen remarks in a lighthearted tone, alluding to a musician in her band.
President Tayyip Erdogan, whose Islamist-rooted AK Party first came to power 20 years ago, attended one of the country’s earliest Imam Hatip schools, which were established by the state to educate young men to become imams and speakers.
Gulsen has previously garnered criticism for ‘activities she demonstrated on stage, excessively low cut clothing, and putting up an LGBT flag,’ according to Sabah, a pro-government daily, which published the video on Wednesday.
On Twitter, other officials reacted to Gulsen’s statements, with Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag denouncing “primitive” sentiments and a ‘antiquated attitude.’
‘The greatest disrespect to art is inciting one sector of society against another by employing resentful, angry, and discriminatory language in the garb of being an artist,’ he said.
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