In April, the singer joked a member of her band's "perversion" was due to him having attended one, reports BBC.

The comment was criticised in recent times by  conservative circles after it went viral online.

Critics say the arrest is a bid by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to consolidate support ahead of elections next year, reports BBC.

Gulsen, before she was arrested, had apologised on social media and suggested her words were seized upon by those who aim to "polarise society".

Writing on Twitter and Instagram, the singer said that while she was "defending freedom of expression" with her "joke between colleagues" she apologised "to everyone who was offended", reports BBC.