Turkish actress Melisa Sozen questioned over Kurdish militant role

Turkish actress Melisa Sozen as Syrian Kurdish YPJ fighter — A Turkish actor who played a Syrian Kurdish YPG/YPJ fighter in the 2017 hit French spy series “The Bureau”. Photo: Screengrab/Canal+

ISTANBUL,— Turkish actress Melisa Sozen was questioned by Istanbul police regarding allegations of “terrorist propaganda” related to her role as a Syrian Kurdish YPG/YPJ fighter in the popular 2017 French spy series The Bureau.

Sozen, 39, was summoned for questioning after her return to Turkey, according to local media reports on Monday.

The investigation stems from her portrayal of a Kurdish fighter in the five-season drama Le Bureau des Légendes (The Bureau), which aired on the French Canal+ network.

The series, which follows the operations of a French intelligence agency (DGSE), was lauded for its realistic portrayal of espionage.

Sozen’s character, a Kurdish militant, drew the attention of authorities due to her costume, which reportedly resembled the fatigues worn by Kurdish YPG forces in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava).

Ankara considers the YPG to be closely affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group that is banned in Turkey.

Sozen was reportedly interrogated at the request of Istanbul’s chief public prosecutor, who is looking into claims that the actor may have participated in promoting a “terrorist” organization through her role in the series.

The investigation centers on the costume she wore as part of her portrayal of a militant, with accusations that it resembled those worn by fighters linked to the PKK and its affiliates.

According to Turkish news outlets, Sozen denied any political significance in her portrayal. She told police that she was unaware of any connection between the outfit and the YPG’s military forces.

“I was playing the role of a double agent. The series was not broadcast in Turkey. I am someone who loves my country,” Sozen reportedly said during questioning, according to opposition news outlet Halk TV.

The investigation comes more than seven years after the series first aired and follows a broader pattern of legal actions against individuals in Turkey, including journalists, activists, and cultural figures.

Authorities have increasingly cracked down on alleged links to the PKK or any groups associated with the Kurdish separatist movement.

Sozen, who is known for her roles in both television and film, also starred in Winter Sleep, a film by acclaimed Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan, which won the Palme d’Or at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.

The Bureau was a commercial and critical success internationally, reaching audiences in over 100 countries. The French intelligence agency DGSE even praised the show for its realistic depiction of espionage.

The investigation into Sozen’s role comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the Kurdish forces in Syria. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which includes the YPG, have been a key ally of the United States in the fight against ISIS, with the YPG playing a central role in the defeat of the Islamic State in Syria.

The Kurdish-led autonomous administration in Syrian Kurdistan operates under principles of secular governance, gender equality, and direct democracy.

The Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), along with its military wing YPG/YPJ, is recognized as the most effective force against ISIS in Syria.

In March 2019, Kurdish forces expelled ISIS from its last stronghold in the eastern Syrian village of Baghouz. Since then, an estimated 12,000 ISIS members have been detained by the Kurdish forces in prisons across the region.

(With files from AFP)