Comedian convicted for Erdogan ‘insult’ but freed pending appeal

A Turkish comedian named Deniz Goktas is set to face trial in Istanbul for allegedly insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a stand-up show in June. Goktas, 32, was apprehended on July 3 after his YouTube video of the show garnered nearly 9 million views, and he later posted shorter clips on X that also gained traction.

Protesters gathered outside the courtroom on Monday morning, with supporters and journalists present, including fellow comedians from Istanbul's TuzBiber club, as well as observers from the Dutch embassy and the US consulate.

Goktas faces multiple charges for his content in the show "Dead Sea," including insulting Erdogan, inciting public hatred and hostility through jokes about Islam, and praising crime and criminals. The prosecutor's office cited over 500 applications to prosecute Goktas following his performance. One of the groups to provide information was the government-sponsored Diyanet religious authority.

According to the indictment, Goktas' jokes, such as describing Erdogan as a "shy dictator" and stating he has undergone a transition to a dictator who is at peace with his identity, are deemed offensive. The charges stem from a 90-minute show that reportedly added an extra charge every two months for jokes about Islam and an organized crime family.

If convicted, Goktas could potentially face several years in prison, as Turkish judges can issue consecutive sentences for multiple convictions.