A stand-up comedian was arrested in Turkey for jokes about Erdogan and the Quran
In Turkey, a court ordered stand-up comedian Deniz Göktaş to be taken into custody following a performance that garnered over 9.4 million views on YouTube. He is accused of “inciting hatred and hostility” and of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The comedian himself insists that he did not mean to offend anyone.
Deniz Goktas was detained at Istanbul’s main airport as he was returning from vacation. He was soon brought before a court, which decided to remand him in custody pending the pretrial investigation. The case stems from his stand-up performance, recorded on June 1 at one of Istanbul’s most famous open-air concert venues. It was posted on YouTube on June 24, and in less than two weeks, the video had garnered about 9.4 million views.
According to the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office, law enforcement received 185 complaints about the performance. Investigators believe that certain jokes may fall under the article on “inciting hatred and hostility.” The comedian is also accused of insulting the Turkish president. After questioning him on Friday, prosecutors asked the court to remand Göktaş into custody. The court granted this request. According to the prosecutor’s office, the allegations relate to a portion of the performance in which the comedian mentioned President Erdoğan and the Quran.
Exactly which words formed the basis for the charge of insulting the president has not been officially specified. At the same time, it is known that during his performance, Göktaş openly called Erdoğan a “dictator” who, in his words, “has finally come to terms with his desires.” During questioning, the comedian himself stated that he had no intention of insulting either the president or believers. “I had absolutely no intention of offending people who practice Islam,” he told the prosecutor.
Göktaş also explained that he has been performing this show for nearly three years. During that time, he has performed it in various cities across Turkey, and no complaints about the content had ever been raised before. According to the comedian, the reference to a “dictator” is part of a public debate that has been ongoing in the country for a long time. Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs has also commented on the case. In its traditional Friday sermon, which is recited in mosques across the country, the agency mentioned this stand-up routine, though it did not name the comedian.
The sermon stated that the use of digital platforms and “the periodic mockery of our sacred values under the guise of humor are driving our children further away from our values with each passing day.” Deniz Göktaş’s arrest has already sparked a wave of criticism among his supporters. Footage of the comedian being led away in handcuffs with his hands behind his back after his arrest at the airport was widely shared on social media.
The BBC notes that Göktaş has become yet another public figure to face persecution amid intensifying pressure on dissent in Turkey. Previously, journalists, activists, artists, and other prominent public figures have been subjected to investigations or arrests in the country, according to the BBC.
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