A Turkish court in Istanbul has accepted an indictment against comedian Deniz Göktaş over jokes made during an online comedy show, potentially exposing the 32-year-old to a prison sentence of up to nine years and eight months, according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency.
The indictment, prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, accuses Göktaş of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, inciting the public to hatred and hostility, and praising criminal acts and criminals. The comedian allegedly made the statements during a YouTube special published on 24 June.
Göktaş has been in pre-trial detention since 3 July. The court has now ordered that he remain in custody for the time being, with his first hearing scheduled for 28 September.
During the programme, Göktaş said: “I have never liked Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, not even for a minute in my life.” Prosecutors argued that his remarks had gone beyond the boundaries of criticism and had damaged the president’s “reputation and dignity in the eyes of the public”.
The prosecution has also accused Göktaş of making jokes about women who swim in the sea wearing Islamic-conservative swimwear. The allegations therefore extend beyond his remarks about Erdogan to other material contained in the comedy programme.
Göktaş has rejected all the accusations against him. His case has nevertheless continued while he remains in detention, with the court now set to consider the allegations at the forthcoming trial.
The YouTube special attracted substantial attention, having been viewed 14 million times. It included jokes about religion as well as other social and political issues, and triggered strong criticism from figures and groups aligned with the government.
The case has subsequently drawn condemnation from human rights organisations, which have protested against the prosecution. They have characterised the proceedings as an attack on freedom of expression and an attempt to suppress dissenting opinions.
The prosecution of a comedian over remarks made during a widely viewed online performance has therefore become a broader point of contention over the limits of political criticism and freedom of expression. At the centre of the case is the prosecution’s argument that Göktaş’s comments crossed the boundary between criticism and punishable conduct, while the comedian rejects the allegations against him.
With Göktaş remaining in pre-trial detention and his first hearing scheduled for 28 September, the Istanbul court will now consider the charges that could result in a prison sentence of almost a decade if he is convicted.
