Satire Trial Raises Concerns
Turkish Comedian Convicted And Sentenced Over Stand-Up Jokes Mocking President
Anonymous
A Turkish court convicted comedian Deniz Göktaş of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and a speech-related offense over jokes in his stand-up show that spread widely online. The 32-year-old was sentenced to about 19 months in prison but released after 88 days in pretrial detention; reports said he could appeal. Prosecutors had also accused him of praising crime and criminals, citing a joke about an organized crime group. The case drew supporters to the courthouse and renewed concerns about Turkey’s prosecution of artists and others over speech critical of the government or religious values.
Key Points
1
Göktaş denied that his jokes were criminal and argued that satire had become less tolerated: “The joke hasn’t changed. What has changed is the increasingly fragile leadership that can no longer tolerate the joke.”
2
The case involved three charges, but Göktaş was convicted on two; prosecutors’ charge of praising crime and criminals was tied to a joke about the organized crime group known as the Daltons.
3
About 50 protesters gathered outside the courthouse in the rain, while observers from the Dutch embassy and the U.S. consulate were among those waiting to enter.
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