Members of the Turkish girl band Manifest have been released under a travel ban and judicial supervision requiring them to regularly check in with the police after testifying to prosecutors as part of an “indecency” probe, BBC Turkish service reported on Tuesday.
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office had launched the investigation on allegations of “obscene acts” and “public indecency” following the group’s performance in İstanbul over the weekend.
In a statement on X on Tuesday, Manifest said they had testified to the prosecutor and were now free, stressing that they “never intended to offend anyone or disregard sensitivities” with their performance.
The six young women described the group as one that seeks to “bring people together through dance and music” and said their biggest dream is to “successfully represent Turkey worldwide.” They added that the controversy saddened them and thanked their fans for their support.
Kamuoyuna, sevgilerimizle 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/IWmsnjVPda
— manifest (@m6nifestgirls) September 9, 2025
Meanwhile, on September 7, the Ankara 6th Criminal Court of Peace blocked posts on X featuring footage from Manifest’s concert a day earlier, citing national security and public order, according to the Freedom of Expression Association’s (İFÖD) EngelliWeb initiative.
Turkish prosecutors earlier said the band’s on-stage dances and acts were deemed to “constitute an attack on public decency and morals, harm feelings of modesty and chastity and carry the potential to influence children and young people negatively.”
Manifest, a six-member group formed earlier this year, gained recognition after appearing on the televised competition “Big5 Türkiye.” The band has been giving live performances since its debut concert earlier this year.
The investigation comes amid growing criticism that Turkey’s authorities are increasingly policing artistic expression under broad morality laws.