An Istanbul court has convicted a popular comedian of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – and handed down a sentence of almost 19 months – but has ordered his release due to time served.
The sentence includes a travel ban that will keep him from leaving Turkey.
A final decision will be made by the court of appeals.
Deniz Göktaş, who denied the charges, has already spent almost 90 days in prison. Prosecutors had sought up to 12 years.
His stand‑up routine went viral on YouTube, gathering more than 15 million views. Prosecutors highlighted a line in which the comedian called the Turkish leader “a shy dictator.” Göktaş argued that the word “dictator” was merely a political characterisation.
Göktaş was arrested at Istanbul airport in July after returning from holiday. He spent 88 days in solitary confinement yet did not lose his sense of humour. In court he said, “Three months have been taken away from my life, but I quit smoking, so I'll add another three months to my life.” The remark drew laughter and applause.
Supporters outside the courthouse – including fellow comedian Firat Aksal – welcomed the verdict with relief, saying they had little hope of a fair trial. Aksal added that Göktaş will soon rest, see his family and then return to the stage.
Although Göktaş is expected to be released in the coming hours, many other activists, journalists, students, LGBTQ+ campaigners and even the elected mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, remain detained. Prisons in Turkey are currently overcrowded.
