Turkish pop singer Gulsen was handed a 10-month suspended sentence by a court in Istanbul for “inciting hatred and enmity” over a joke about Turkey’s religious schools, Associated Press reported quoting Turkey’s state-run news agency.
Gulsen was briefly jailed last year for the joke which she had made during a concert. On stage, the 46-year-old singer had quipped that the “perversion” of one of her musicians was the result of his attending a religious school.
Gulsen was then jailed for five days and later spent 15 days under house arrest despite issuing an apology for the incident. The court found her guilty of the charge and initially sentenced her to one year in prison but later reduced the sentence owing to her “respectful stance” during the trial.
Gulsen was also warned that if she passes such remarks again she could be jailed further within the next five years. Although the singer has rejected the accusations saying that her comment “was a joke between two people.” She had told the court that she had just teased a band member who was nicknamed “Imam” but had not attended a religious school.
Her lawyer also reiterated that the comment was a joke and requested her acquittal saying “there was no crime.”
The pop singer was previously attacked for her stage outfits and for unfurling an LGBTQ flag at a concert.
