NewzTurkish comedian Deniz Goktas said humour was a centuries-old part of Turkish culture and there should be 'no place for censorship, bans or detention when it comes to artists on the stage'. (X.com pic)ISTANBUL: An Istanbul court convicted a popular Turkish comedian on Monday of insulting president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and another offence but ordered his interim release pending appeal, an AFP reporter in the courtroom said.Following a lively opening session in which Deniz Goktas, 32, offered a quick-witted defence that had much of the courtroom in stitches, the judge convicted him on two charges, sentencing him to just over 19 months prison.However, until the sentence is finalised - which only happens after it is reviewed by an appeals court - the judge ordered his release.It was not immediately clear how long the process would take.Known for his dry wit and political satire, Goktas has spent nearly three months in Karatepe high-security prison since his arrest on July 3, a week after a YouTube video of his "Dead Sea" show went viral, reaching nine million views.Goktas went on trial for insulting Erdogan, incitement to public hatred and praising crime and criminals.The judge convicted Goktas on the first charge."He then amended the second charge to "insulting religious values" and convicted him of that too, while acquitting him on charge three," the correspondent said.When the hearing opened, Goktas took to the stand to weave a defence rich in political satire, making witty observations that frequently had the courtroom in fits of laughter.'Can't take a joke'In the indictment, prosecutors singled out a line in which he called Erdogan "a shy dictator" but Goktas insisted there was "no criminal element" there."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 Erdogan's name is never mentioned would be neither sincere nor have any connection to reality," he reasoned."Erdogan should be open to the art of satire," he said, denying the charges against him.None of Turkey's most famous comedians or political satirists had been prosecuted in the past, when "these kinds of criticisms were received much more positively... by society and those in power than they are today," Goktas continued."The laws protecting freedom of expression h…
ISTANBUL (AP) — A Turkish court on Monday sentenced a comedian to more than 19 months imprisonment on charges of insulting religious values and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Deniz Goktas, 32, had been held in prison since July 3 after clips of his routine, which included a reference to Erdogan as a “dictator,” were circulated online. He was convicted Monday of insulting the president and insulting religious values, receiving a combined prison sentence of 19 months and 10 days.
Presenting a defense that caused laughter in the Istanbul courtroom, the comedian said he stood by his joke that described Erdogan as having evolved from a “shy dictator” to one “confident in his identity.” Goktas said political humor had been tolerated in the past and the laws regarding insult had not changed. Fragile leaders who can’t handle jokes or criticism,” he said in remarks published in Birgun newspaper and other opposition-backing outlets. He also highlighted how his quips had not prompted any complaint until they were taken out of context and circulated on social media.
Goktas’s show, Dead Sea, was recorded in Istanbul in June and drew more than 9.5 million views after being uploaded to YouTube. The court heard there were 185 complaints submitted through a reporting system run by Erdogan’s office. Goktas was arrested after returning to Turkey from vacation and was held in Karatepe high-security prison in Tekirdag province, west of Istanbul.
Erdogan has consolidated power during more than two decades in office, and critics say he has steadily narrowed the space for free expression. Journalists and government critics frequently face investigation, detention or prosecution. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Erdogan’s main political rival, has been imprisoned since March of last year and is on trial on corruption charges.
Hundreds of mayors and other officials from the main opposition party are also being prosecuted over corruption allegations while the party’s leader was deposed by a court order — moves critics say are aimed at neutralizing the party ahead of the next elections. Erdogan’s government insists that Turkey’s courts are impartial and act independently of political pressure.
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