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Istanbul Court Convicts Comedian Deniz Göktas, Sentences 19 Months

By Drooid · Sep 29, 2026, 6:15 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Deniz Göktas Convicted

Istanbul court convicted comedian Deniz Göktas of insulting President Erdogan and sentenced him to 19 months.
The judge ordered Göktas’s interim release pending appeal after he served nearly 90 days in pre-trial detention.
The court also imposed a travel ban preventing Göktas from leaving Turkey.
Prosecutors had sought a prison term of up to 12 years for the comedian.
Göktas’s stand-up routine video attracted more than 15 million views on YouTube.

Summary

Prosecutors Open Case

Prosecutors opened a case after more than 500 complaints were filed with the Presidential Communication Center.
The Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) provided a tip-off that triggered the investigation.
Around 50 demonstrators with umbrellas gathered in rain outside the courtroom, chanting solidarity slogans.
Prosecutors reduced the original incitement charge to insulting religious values.

History

Historical Context

After the failed 15 July 2016 coup, Turkey’s emergency decrees dismissed 2,745 judges and over 100,000 civil servants, shuttered dozens of media outlets, and prompted EU-parliament scrutiny. The current prosecution of comedian Deniz Göktas and a Diyanet-backed insult case mirrors that purge, showing the justice system still using broad incitement laws to curb dissent.

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Deniz Göktas Convicted

Istanbul court convicted comedian Deniz Göktas of insulting President Erdogan and sentenced him to 19 months.
The judge ordered Göktas’s interim release pending appeal after he served nearly 90 days in pre-trial detention.
The court also imposed a travel ban preventing Göktas from leaving Turkey.
Prosecutors had sought a prison term of up to 12 years for the comedian.
Göktas’s stand-up routine video attracted more than 15 million views on YouTube.

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