Turkish Comedian Deniz Göktaş Arrested Over Joke About President Erdoğan
Turkish comedian Deniz Göktaş was arrested upon his arrival in Istanbul after posting a stand-up video on YouTube that authorities say insulted President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The video, uploaded on June 24, has garnered over 9.4 million views. Turkish officials reported receiving 185 complaints about the content, leading a court to order Göktaş to remain in custody pending legal proceedings.
During questioning, Göktaş stated he did not intend to offend religious sentiments and noted that the stand-up show had been performed across Turkey for nearly three years, with over 100,000 viewers and no prior complaints about the segment in question. His arrest is part of a broader crackdown on government critics ahead of the NATO summit scheduled in Ankara.
In recent weeks, Turkish authorities have blocked access to social media accounts of LGBTQ organizations and activists and detained more than 200 individuals, including journalists, lawyers, and academics. This intensified enforcement reflects ongoing pressure on dissenting voices in Turkey under Erdoğan's administration.
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