Court orders comedian Deniz Göktaş’s release after sentences for ‘insulting’ Erdoğan and Islam

An İstanbul court has ordered the release of stand-up comedian Deniz Göktaş after sentencing him to 11 months and 20 days in prison for “insulting the president” and seven months and 15 days for “insulting religious values.”

The İstanbul 14th Penal Court of First Instance issued the verdict today at Göktaş’s first hearing, following 88 days in pretrial detention at the Çorlu Karatepe High Security Prison.

The indictment had sought a total prison sentence of between two years and two months and nine years and eight months on charges of insulting the president, inciting the public into hatred and enmity, and praising crime and criminals.

Göktaş was brought to the İstanbul Courthouse from prison for the hearing, which began at 11.20 am, about 80 minutes later than scheduled.

Ahead of the hearing, the square outside the courthouse and entrances to the building were closed. Access was limited to lawyers, people attending hearings and those filing petitions. Riot police were deployed behind barriers on the floor where the court is located.

After an argument between officials and people seeking access to the courtroom, the court opened another room where the proceedings could be followed through Turkey’s audiovisual court system.

‘Twenty-two days in prison for each sentence’

Göktaş, who was detained on Jul 2 at İstanbul Airport after returning from a trip abroad, said he had spent his detention largely in isolation.

“I have been held for 88 days at Çorlu Karatepe High Security Prison, publicly known as a well-type prison,” he told the court. “Since Jul 3, I have spent my days there without sunlight and without seeing any other detainee or prisoner. I was able to speak with my family for 10 minutes a week.”

“I have been detained for 88 days because of four sentences I said during the show: 22 days for each sentence,” he added. “As a comedian, it is an honor to see the impact of my words, but it is worrying in terms of freedom of expression in Turkey.”

Göktaş said he had performed the jokes cited in the case 197 times across Turkey before his detention, before audiences totaling more than 100,000 people. While he didn’t receive negative reactions for his jokes, he said, the controversy began after the show was released on YouTube on Jun 25.

Göktaş asserted that the complaints against the show filed with the Presidency Communication Center (CİMER), which eventually led to the investigation and his arrest, were not “organic” but part of an organized effort.

The full performance drew about 4 million views in its first three days and onliy one complaint was filed during this time, he said. After a targeted social media campaign, 184 more complaints were filed.

“There is no complaint from the public,” he said. “Most of the complaints here do not come from the original YouTube show. They come from video clips with the beginning and end cut off, posted by coordinated accounts.”

‘Dictator’ joke

Göktaş also defended a joke in which he referred to Erdoğan as a “shy dictator,” arguing that it fell within the bounds of political satire.

“If political satire is not prohibited, my jokes should remain within freedom of expression,” he said. “I think ‘shy dictator’ is a valid joke.”

“Someone else might have called him a democract and made people laugh more than I did,” he remarked.

Burkini joke

Göktaş also rejected allegations that his jokes insulted religious values. Addressing one joke involving fasting and suicide bombers, he said it was based on wordplay and was not intended to establish a connection between fasting and terrorism.

“There is no intention or implication of insulting religious values,” he said.

He similarly argued that another joke involving women wearing full-coverage swimwear had been interpreted in the opposite way from what he intended. Göktaş said the joke was designed to expose the audience’s prejudices rather than target the women themselves.

Göktaş denied all charges and requested his acquittal and release.

After the defense statements, the prosecutor sought Göktaş’s conviction on all three charges but also requested his release with the verdict.

The court recessed for an hour before announcing its decision. Göktaş was acquitted of “praising crime and criminals.” (HA/VK)