Comedian convicted for Erdogan ‘insult’ but freed pending appeal

An Istanbul court convicted popular Turkish comedian Deniz Goktas on Monday of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and another offense, but ordered his interim release pending appeal. Goktas, 32, had offered a quick-witted defense during a lively opening session, causing the courtroom to laugh uproariously. The judge sentenced him to just over 19 months in prison, but due to the appellate court review process, he was released until the sentence is finalized.

Goktas, known for his political satire, was arrested on July 3 for allegedly insulting Erdogan, inciting public hatred, and praising crime and criminals. The judge convicted him on the first charge and amended the second charge to "insulting religious values," while acquitting him on the third charge. Goktas argued that "dictator" was a political characterization and not an insult.

He emphasized that humor is a centuries-old part of Turkish culture and should not be subject to censorship, bans, or detention. Goktas' arrest marked the latest in a series of crackdowns on critics of Turkey's Islamo-conservative government.