Turkey frees jailed pop star Gulsen Bayraktar Colakoglu

ISTANBUL: An Istanbul court Monday ordered the release pending trial of one of Turkey´s biggest pop stars, after her jailing over controversial joke sparked an outcry among fans and government foes.

Singer Gulsen Bayraktar Colakoglu, 46, who uses her first name on stage, was jailed last Thursday on charges of "inciting hatred."

Although she made the joke on stage in April, it went viral on social media after being re-posted last week.

A court on Monday ruled that Gulsen should be placed under house arrest pending trial, which could see Gulsen jailed for up to three years.

"We are very happy about the decision," Gulsen´s lawyer Emek Emre said outside the courtroom, while adding that placing his client under house arrest was "incompatible with the law".