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Turkish authorities accuse the comedian of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and religious values. He denies the charges.
A court in Turkey has ordered the detention of stand-up comedian Deniz Goktas pending his trial as he faces charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and religious values, according to court documents obtained by Reuters.
Goktas, known for his satirical shows that have millions of views online, was arrested on July 2 at Istanbul airport after returning from a trip abroad.
The Istanbul General Prosecutor's Office announced that it had received 185 complaints regarding the comedian's performances and that it had launched an investigation for "public insult to Turkey's religious values."
In his performances, Goktas satirically addresses political developments in the country, including references to President Erdogan and his main political rival, the imprisoned former mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu.
One of his performances, held on June 1 in Istanbul, was released on YouTube on June 24 in the form of a 90-minute video and has so far accumulated nearly nine million views.
Earlier this week, the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office also announced the launch of an investigation into "criminally offensive language" in content posted by Goktas on social media. According to prosecutors, the investigation is related to allegations that during the June 1 performance he insulted religious values, making references to Erdogan, the Quran and İmamoğlu.
The comedian's lawyer, Metin Aslan, announced on social media that the charge of insulting the president is one of the criminal offenses for which his client is being investigated.
A number of officials and members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), as well as advisers to the president, publicly criticized Goktas, accusing him of mocking President Erdogan and the Quran.
In his testimony to police, according to Habertürk television, Goktas denied the charges, stating that his jokes did not constitute an insult to religious values or the Quran. He added that the use of the term "dictator" for Erdogan was a political characterization and not an insult.
After speculation that he had fled Turkey to avoid prosecution, Goktas clarified in a post that he had traveled abroad for vacation and planned to return.
"I intend to live in Turkey for many more years and, if any situation arises that requires my presence, I will return on the first flight," he wrote.
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