Tourist gets into trouble after pole dancing on Turkish flagpole. Video

A criminal complaint has been filed against the unidentified woman. (Image credit: @MakerEmpower/X)

A foreign tourist in Turkey is facing a criminal investigation for offending "the nation's moral values" for performing a pole dance on a Turkish flagpole in the tourist hotspot of Cappadocia, the governor's office said.

Prosecutors opened the probe after footage emerged on social media of a young woman in blue leggings and a white t-shirt performing several gravity-defying manoeuvres on a flagpole on a hilltop in Uchisar.

But the 12-second performance drew the wrath of the authorities with the governor's office of Nevsehir province filing a criminal complaint against the unidentified woman, without giving her name, nationality or age, prompting an investigation by the area's chief public prosecutor.

Tourist in Cappadocia, Turkey, faces up to 5 years in prison after pole dancing on a flagpole bearing the Turkish flag. Authorities charged her with "desecration of the flag" and "insulting Turkish identity." #Turkey #Cappadocia #TravelWarning pic.twitter.com/JiX4ZVvKFN

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Responding to the video, an X user said, "It seems like this girl grew up in a vacuum. You don't come to a foreign country to insult its symbols." Another user commented, “The flag is not a pole!”

Meanwhile, in a statement, the governor's office said, "Regarding the inappropriate behaviour of a foreign national at a Turkish flagpole in our city... a criminal complaint was filed and a legal investigation opened by Nevsehir's chief public prosecutor's office under articles 300 and 301 of the Turkish penal code... The governor's office is closely monitoring this heinous incident, which we see as showing disrespect for our nation's moral values."

Under the country's laws, it is illegal to publicly disrespect the Turkish flag (300 Article), which can carry a jail term of up to three years.

Article 301 deals with the offence of insulting Turkishness, the Turkish nation, its government, or national heroes and carries a prison term of up to two years.

(With inputs from AFP)