Popular Turkish comedian Deniz Goktas has gone on trial at an Istanbul court over allegations that he insulted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and committed other offences during a stand-up performance in June.
Goktas, 32, who is known for his dry humour and political satire, was arrested by police on July 3, a week after a YouTube video of his show was released. The video has been viewed nearly nine million times.
According to the indictment, Goktas has remained in pre-trial detention and is facing charges of insulting Erdogan and inciting public hatred. Prosecutors later added another charge of praising crime and criminals.
His arrest is the latest in what has been described as a widening crackdown on people considered critical of Turkey’s Islamo-conservative government or its values. The crackdown has reportedly affected hundreds of politicians, artists, musicians, journalists and LGBTQ activists, among others.
About 50 protesters gathered outside Istanbul’s Caglayan courthouse in heavy rain, with several dozen police officers monitoring the demonstration.
The protesters chanted: “Denis Goktas is not alone!”, according to an AFP correspondent.
Several dozen police officers were also deployed inside the courthouse as journalists and supporters waited to enter the courtroom, where Goktas was expected to appear in person.
Among those present were comedians from Istanbul’s TuzBiber comedy club, where Goktas reportedly began his career in 2019. Representatives from the Dutch embassy and the US consulate were also present as observers.
X posts from jail
Goktas is being held at Karatepe high-security prison, about 120 kilometres (75 miles) west of Istanbul, where he has occasionally posted on X, mostly making humorous observations about life behind bars.
“After 88 days, I’ll be handcuffed for the first time and hear a car horn. I’m definitely not missing the handcuffs,” he posted late Sunday, ahead of his first court appearance.
“A 90-minute show spawns a new charge every two months,” he wrote in late August, saying the additional charge had been brought against him “for a joke about the Daltons” — one of Turkey’s organised crime groups.
The indictment did not clearly state the possible sentence. However, Turkish media calculations suggested that Goktas could face up to a decade or more in prison if convicted on all charges, according to Anka news agency, with other outlets reporting similar figures.
The Ankara-born comedian reportedly began his career at TuzBiber in Istanbul before going on to perform at venues across Europe and the United States.