Stand-up comic held for jokes about Erdogan and Islam in Turkey crackdown
Summary
Deniz Göktaş, a popular Turkish stand-up comedian, was arrested in Istanbul for jokes about President Erdoğan and Islam. Turkish authorities accuse him of causing hostility and insulting the president, while his arrest is part of a wider crackdown on critics ahead of an important NATO summit in Ankara.Key Facts
- Deniz Göktaş was held at Istanbul’s main airport and then arrested by a court.
- He is accused of "inciting hatred and hostility" and insulting President Erdoğan in his comedy show.
- His routine criticizing Erdoğan and the Quran was viewed 9.4 million times on YouTube.
- The arrest is part of broader government actions targeting journalists, activists, and opposition figures.
- Over 200 people have been detained recently before the NATO summit scheduled for 7-8 July in Ankara.
- Demonstrations are banned in Ankara until 10 July during the summit.
- Turkish religious authorities criticized the comedian’s use of humor about sacred values.
- Göktaş denies aiming to offend anyone and says his show has been performed for nearly three years across Turkey.
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