Turkish actress Melisa Sözen accused of promoting terrorism in French show 'Le bureau des légendes'
Acclaimed Turkish actress Melisa Sözen became a household name for her role in the third season of the highly popular French TV spy thriller series Le bureau des légendes (The Bureau). She played Esrin Gunei, a double agent fighting Islamist militants in Syria.
Now, more than seven years after filming, Sözen has been questioned by police in Istanbul on suspicion of "promoting terrorist propaganda" in the 2017 season.
Turkish media reported that the 39-year-old, also known for her role in Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Winter Sleep, which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2014, was arrested on Monday at the request of the Istanbul public prosecutor.
She had been targeted on social media because her character Esrin wore a uniform considered similar to that of the Syria-based Kurdish militia YPG.
Turkey deems the YPG, which is currently fighting in Syria, to be affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a banned militant group.
Sözen was interviewed by the police and released, according to press reports. She is reported to have told police she was unaware the costume used in the series bore a resemblance to the uniform of a combatant of the YPG.
"I played the role of a double agent. The series was not broadcast in Turkey. I am someone who loves her country and her nation", said Sözen - quoted by Halk TV.
Critics of Erdogan and his government have deplored what they consider harassment.
Tugay Bek, a Turkish lawyer and activist, posted on social media: “Is there any other country that opened an investigation against the actor who played the role of a member of an organisation in a series? If an actor plays a murderer tomorrow, will the homicide bureau launch an investigation? How much nonsense can you get?”
How much, indeed?
Le bureau des légendes was created and co-written by Éric Rochant and produced by TOP – The Oligarchs Productions and Canal+. It revolves around the lives of agents of the DGSE (General Directorate of External Security), France's principal external security service. Starring the likes of Mathieu Kassovitz, Sara Giraudeau and Léa Drucker, the show was widely acclaimed during its 2015-2020 run and is considered as some of the best television ever produced in France.
The show was recently remade as the Paramount+ with Showtime US version The Agency, starring Michael Fassbender and produced by George Clooney. The first season aired from November 2024 to January 2025. It has been renewed for a second season.