Turkish comedian released after conviction for insulting President Erdogan

Deniz Göktaş, a well‑known stand‑up comic, was found guilty by an Istanbul court of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and received a nearly 19‑month sentence. Although he spent 88 days in solitary confinement, he was released at 21:45 local time (18:45 GMT) after the court ordered his release because he had already served the full time.

The verdict also imposed a travel ban that bars Göktaş from leaving Turkey. A final appeal will still be decided by the court of appeals.

Göktaş’s routine, which quickly went viral on YouTube with over 15 million views, included the line describing Erdogan as a "shy dictator". He insisted there was no criminal element in his comments and that “dictator” was a political characterisation.

The comedian was first arrested and handcuffed at Istanbul airport in July when he was returning from a holiday. Despite his time in solitary confinement, he maintained his sense of humour and joked in court that he’d add three months to his life by quitting smoking.

Outside the courthouse, supporters such as fellow comedian Firat Aksal celebrated the verdict, saying they had not been hopeful of a fair trial.

After his release, Göktaş expressed joy at reuniting with family and friends, but he also highlighted the broader plight of thousands of other prisoners in Turkey, including journalists, human‑rights activists, student protesters, LGBTQ activists and Istanbul’s elected mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu.

Erdogan’s party denies that arrests such as Imamoglu’s are politically motivated, insisting the judiciary remains independent.

Additional reporting by Gunce Akpamuk