Turkish stand-up comedian Deniz Göktaş was taken into custody on Thursday as he returned home, facing accusations of insulting the Islamist leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and “publicly insulting religious values” during a recent show.
The 32-year-old was apprehended upon his arrival at Istanbul airport after numerous complaints emerged regarding his latest performance, titled “Dead Sea.” Allies of Erdoğan claimed Göktaş’s act “targeted religious values” and stirred indignation, leading to charges of “insulting religious values” and Erdoğan.
The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office has reportedly initiated an investigation into Göktaş’s material from “Dead Sea.” Despite being on holiday abroad, he returned to Türkiye anticipating arrest. After his arrival, he was taken to Istanbul police for interrogation.
A source, cited by the BBC’s Turkish division, indicated that Göktaş spent the night in custody and is expected to appear before a judge on Friday. This incident seems to underscore the idea that Erdoğan is, perhaps, not one to appreciate humor, a point that’s been reflected in past situations.
Göktaş recorded “Dead Sea” in Istanbul on June 1st, with plans to publish it on his YouTube channel on June 24th. At that time, the Turkish-language performance, running for about 90 minutes, had already amassed over 9.3 million views.
“Hello, I’m Deniz. After ‘Selam Selam’, I recorded my second performance in Harbiye on June 1, 2026. Since June 2023, I’ve been going from city to city, sharing this narrative as if the printing press was never invented,” the video’s description states.
“This show has been viewed by more than 100,000 individuals across many countries and cities, and now it’s in your hands,” it continues. “I hope you enjoy it. Thank you.”
Interestingly, reports note that certain parts of Göktaş’s performance that might be deemed “insulting” to Erdoğan—a violation under Turkish law—remain unclear. However, it’s alleged that Göktaş referred to Erdoğan as a “dictator” and remarked on Erdoğan’s apparent reconciliation with his desires.
Both Soszcz and the Associated Press highlighted that a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), featuring snippets of Göktaş’s performance, was blocked in Turkey due to claims of “national security and protection of public order.”
