Turkish comedian Deniz Goktas released after 88 days in detention

On September 28, 2026, the 14th Criminal Court of Istanbul ordered the release of 32-year-old Turkish stand-up comedian Deniz Goktas following 88 days of pre-trial detention. Goktas had been arrested in July upon returning to Turkey from an international tour for his performance titled "Olu Deniz" (Dead Sea). During the trial, the court sentenced him to 11 months and 20 days for insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and 7 months and 15 days for insulting religious values, totaling 19 months of imprisonment. He was acquitted of the charge of "praising a crime and a criminal.

Initially facing a potential sentence of up to 12 years for three separate charges, Goktas was held in a high-security prison during the proceedings. The trial attracted significant public interest, leading to proceedings being moved to a larger courtroom. Despite the conviction, the court granted his release pending the outcome of an appeal process. The case centers on content from his online stand-up performance, which authorities claimed incited hatred and insulted state figures and religious beliefs.