[Satire] Turkish Comedian Gets Jail Term for Calling Erdogan 'Dictator' but Released Ahead of Appeal
- On Monday, an Istanbul court convicted comedian Deniz Goktas of insulting President Tayyip Erdogan, sentencing him to 19 months in prison but ordering his immediate release after nearly three months in custody.
- Authorities arrested Goktas in early July following his viral "Dead Sea" performance, which attracted more than 500 complaints, including from state religious authority Diyanet, regarding jokes about Islam and Erdogan.
- During trial, Goktas defended his material, telling the court, "Dictator is not an insult: it is a political characterization," and argued Erdogan should remain "open to the art of satire."
- The judge sentenced Goktas to 11 months for "insulting the president" and seven months for "insulting religious values," downgrading initial accusations of inciting hatred and hostility regarding his routine.
- This case reflects Turkey's wider crackdown on speech-related offenses, as hundreds of artists, journalists, and activists have faced detention or trial, with the government increasingly using prosecutions to silence critics engaging in satire.
151 Articles
151 Articles
The artist, arrested in early July, was sentenced on Monday for insulting President Erdogan and religion during a satirical show. After 88 days of detention, he was released pending the decision on appeal.
Turkish Comedian Deniz Goktas Faces Years In Prison Over Erdogan "Shy Dictator" Jokes
A Turkish stand-up comedian has gone on trial in Istanbul, charged with insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a live comedy performance in June. Deniz Goktas, 32, was arrested on July 3, days after a YouTube recording of his “Dead Sea” show accumulated nearly 9 million views. Shorter clips posted on X gained similar rapid […]
The comedian Deniz Göktas has been sentenced in Turkey, among other things, for insulting the president. Nevertheless, he is allowed to leave the prison for the time being.
In Turkey, satirist Deniz Göktas has been condemned for his stand-up show, which also takes Erdogan on board.
Perhaps what most disturbed the prosecutors was that the Turkish comedian called Erdoğan a dictator.
Applause and hugs greeted Turkish comedian Deniz Göktaş, 32, as he was released from Çorlu Prison after 88 days in pre-trial detention. An Istanbul court sentenced him to 11 months and 20 days for "insulting President" Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and to 7 months and 15 days for "public incitement to hatred and hostility." However, he was released while the sentence is pending. The case stemmed from jokes from his stand-up show "Ölü Deniz," which went v…
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