Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of up to nine years and eight months for Turkish comedian Deniz Göktaş over remarks made during a stand-up performance that went viral, according to an indictment completed on Sept. 4.
Göktaş was jailed pending trial on July 3 in connection with an investigation stemming from a stand-up performance he gave in Istanbul on June 1.
A 90-minute recording of the show, titled “Ölü Deniz,” was uploaded to YouTube on June 24 and has garnered millions of views. The show became one of the most discussed performances in Türkiye in recent months, drawing both criticism and support online. Beyond its popularity, the special sparked widespread public debate over satire, politics, freedom of expression and the growing influence of a new
generation of Turkish stand-up comedians.
Although a court ordered Göktaş’s release on Aug. 28 in relation to the charges for which he had been detained, he was rearrested before leaving prison over a separate accusation of “praising crime and criminals.”
Prosecutors finalized the indictment against Göktaş on Sept. 4, charging him with “insulting the president,” “inciting the public to hatred and hostility and degrading a section of the public” and “praising
crime and criminals.”
They are seeking a combined prison sentence ranging from two years to nine years and eight months for the three offenses, the indictment said.
The indictment alleged that some of Göktaş’s remarks about the president during his stand-up went beyond the boundaries of permissible criticism.
The prosecution also argued that certain parts of the performance incited hatred and hostility among different segments of society through remarks concerning members of Islam and religious practices.
Another charge stems from a segment of the stand-up routine concerning the criminal organization popularly known as the “Daltons.”
