Turkish comedian arrested after mocking President Erdoğan on stage

A Turkish stand-up comedian has been arrested on suspicion of insulting the country’s president and insulting Islam, following remarks he made during a performance in Istanbul. Deniz Göktas faced detention after joking during his act that “the Quran was a relatively bold statement for the 7th century” and making disparaging comments about President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, describing him as a dictator.

According to the Istanbul prosecutor’s office, authorities received 185 complaints against the comedian following his performance. The charges relate to both insulting the president and allegedly demeaning Islam — offences that carry serious legal consequences under Turkish law.

Göktas had indicated to his followers that he anticipated arrest upon returning to Turkey. He had been abroad on holiday at the time and apparently knew that his remarks would trigger a legal response once he came back to the country. The arrest underscores the sensitivity surrounding criticism of President Erdoğan and religious matters in Turkey, where defamation laws and laws protecting Islam have been used to prosecute comedians, journalists and activists in recent years.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.