The Istanbul First Instance Criminal Court has accepted the accusation presented by the Turkish Prosecutor's Office against the comedian Deniz Goktas, who will be tried for "insulting the president," Recep Tayyip Erdogan, "inciting hatred and hostility among the population," and "praising crime and criminals." For these crimes, he faces a maximum sentence of 11 years and two months in prison.
The Prosecutor's investigation began after a performance by the comedian titled "Black Sea," which was very critical of Erdogan and went viral across the country, reaching almost 10 million views, according to the DHA agency.
Goktas was arrested last July upon his return to Turkey from abroad, at Istanbul airport. Now, the court has set the opening of the trial for the mentioned crimes for September 28.
INVESTIGATION OF THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER
The proceedings against Goktas add to other similar cases for insults against the president, a criminal figure included in the Turkish Penal Code that contemplates prison sentences of up to four years. The most recent case affects former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who will be investigated for a video recently circulated on social media in which he attacks the head of state, with whom he previously had a close political relationship.
The Ankara Public Prosecutor's Office announced the opening of proceedings after reviewing several posts on social media that included statements it considered potentially defamatory against Erdogan.