Comedian convicted for Erdoğan ‘insult’ but freed pending appeal

Deniz Goktas’ arrest was the latest in a widening crackdown on people seen as critical of Turkey’s Islamo-conservative government or its values.(AFP) — An Istanbul court convicted a popular Turkish comedian Monday of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and religious values but ordered his release pending appeal, an AFP reporter in the courtroom said.After a lively hearing in which Deniz Goktas, 32, offered a defense that had much of the courtroom laughing, the judge sentenced him to just over 19 months in prison on the two charges.The judge ordered Goktas released until the appeals process is complete. It was not immediately clear how long that would take.Known for his dry wit and political satire, Goktas has spent nearly three months in Karatepe high-security prison since his arrest July 3, a week after a YouTube video of his “Dead Sea” show went viral, reaching 9 million views.Goktas went on trial on charges of insulting Erdoğan, inciting public hatred and praising crime and criminals. The judge convicted him of insulting Erdoğan, amended the second charge to insulting religious values and convicted him of that offense as well. The judge acquitted him on the third charge, the reporter said.When the hearing opened, Goktas took the stand and delivered a defense rich in political satire, making observations that frequently drew laughter from the courtroom.Prosecutors had singled out a line in which he called Erdoğan “a shy dictator,” but Goktas insisted there was “no criminal element” in the remark.“Dictator is not an insult: it is a political characterisation,” he said.“As the president and leader of the party that has ruled the country for 25 years, a political comedy show in which Erdoğan’s name is never mentioned would be neither sincere nor have any connection to reality,” he said.“Erdoğan should be open to the art of satire,” he said, denying the charges against him.Goktas said Turkey’s most famous comedians and political satirists had not faced prosecution in the past, when “these kinds of criticisms were received much more positively … by society and those in power than they are today.”“The laws protecting freedom of expression have not changed since that time. But today, a comedian is sitting in a cell.“The joke hasn’t changed. What has changed is the increasingly fragile leadership that can no longer tolerate the joke.”The audience included several comedians from Istanbul’s TuzBiber comedy club, where Goktas reportedly began his career in 2019, and observers from the Dutch and U.S. embassies.Humor, Goktas told the court, has been part of Turkish culture for centuries, so there should be “no place for censorship, bans or detention when it comes to artists on the stage.”He asked to be acquitted and released.“Three months have been taken away from my life. I quit smoking, so I’ll add three months to the end of my life anyway,” he said, drawing laughter and loud applause as he left the stand.Goktas’ arrest was the latest in a widening crackdown on people seen as critical of Turkey’s Islamo-conservative government or its values. Hundreds of people, including politicians, artists, musicians, journalists and LGBTQ activists, have been caught up in the crackdown.Outside in the pouring rain, about 50 protesters gathered, chanting, “Deniz Goktas is not alone!”Among them was Fatih Yilmaz, 22, a student from Alanya, near the southern resort city of Antalya, who bears a striking resemblance to Goktas and recently started performing stand-up comedy.“I am not afraid to do stand-up after his arrest. I will keep doing it,” Yilmaz told AFP.“His arrest made me feel proud. His strong stance and the way he keeps making jokes from his prison cell keep me going.”Turkish media said the Ankara-born comedian began his career at TuzBiber in Istanbul and has performed at venues across Europe and the United States.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads