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Stand-up comedian freed following 88 days of pre-trial detention

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ISTANBUL (Medyascope) – Deniz Göktaş, whose viral stand-up performance in late June resulted in an investigation and then his arrest, has been released following 88 days of pre-trial detention.

By Leo Kendrick • Medyascope 

Göktaş released from prison

Göktaş’ original viral stand-up performance, which despite a ban by Turkish authorities has amassed over 15 million views on YouTube, touched on a wide range of topics including Islam, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Turkish politics.

Göktaş had been detained in early July on charges of ‘insulting religious values,’ ‘insulting the president,’ and ‘inciting the public to hatred and enmity.’ Following his viral performance and prior to his detention, Göktaş had been vacationing abroad, and his choice to return to Turkey while facing an investigation and likely arrest received considerable attention. 

At his hearing yesterday, Göktaş was sentenced to a total of 19 months and five days in prison, but was released following the verdict. He had already spent 88 days in pretrial detention.

Göktaş was convicted of “insulting the president,” for which he was sentenced to 11 months and 20 days in prison, and “publicly degrading the religious values adopted by a section of the public,” for which he was sentenced to seven months and 15 days. He was acquitted of “praising a crime or a criminal.”

The “insulting the president” charge stemmed from a joke about Erdoğan’s political image, in which Göktaş described him as having evolved from a “shy dictator” into a dictator who was confident in his identity. Göktaş repeated the substance of the joke in his courtroom defense.

The verdict can be appealed, and it is not yet clear whether Göktaş will have to serve any additional prison time.

Göktaş released from prison

Following his release, Göktaş greeted friends, family, and supporters Monday evening (September 28), where he made a statement to members of the media, saying “I hope we will all be liberated together.”

Göktaş said that despite his release, countless opposition figures remain in the very prison he was released from.

“There are thousands of people in Turkey, like me, who are being held in pretrial detention. Of course, it’s great to be out, but whether you’re inside or outside doesn’t make that much of a difference.”

In his comments, Göktaş also mentioned the other political prisoners, such as Sinem Dedetaş and Mehmet Pehlivan, also housed at the maximum-security Çorlu prison in Turkey’s Tekirdağ province.

In late August, Göktaş had been rearrested shortly after a decision was announced to release him.

During his nearly three month detention, Göktaş has claimed he was forced to meet with Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Turkey’s unpopular former main opposition leader who was reappointed to the leadership of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) following a controversial court ruling in May.

During the meeting, which according to Göktaş took place against his own wishes, the comedian reportedly told Kılıçdaroğlu “Leave the CHP alone,” an account which Kılıçdaroğlu’s camp has denied but Göktaş has personally confirmed. 

“As if it wasn’t bad enough being handcuffed, they made me meet with Kılıçdaroğlu” Göktaş jokingly added.

Stand-up comedian freed following 88 days of pre-trial detention | Written/translated by Leo Kendrick | Edited by Medyascope English Newsroom

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