Two workers of the U.S. consulate in Turkey’s southern province of Adana were brought in for questioning on Tuesday after sharing multiple videos on social media platforms in which they reportedly insulted Islamic values.
One female and another male employee, identified as C.Y. (28) and Ç.G (30), were released after police questioning, according to reports.
Turkish prosecutors launched an investigation into the two Turkish nationals for “inciting hatred and hostility.”
In one of the videos, the suspected female worker dressed in a Halloween costume is seen holding a bottle of Zamzam water and saying: "This drink comes from Mecca. Drink it to purge yourself of all your sins."
Zamzam water is considered sacred in Islam as it is drawn from a well in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
“We are aware of reports that two of our Turkish citizen employees were involved in a post, which was shared on a personal social media account, that was criticized for being offensive or disrespectful. We deeply regret any action by any of our employees that disrespects any religious belief. The video was recorded for personal use and it does not represent the official views of the U.S. Government in any way,” said the U.S. Embassy in Ankara on Wednesday.
