Istanbul court convicts comedian for 'insulting' Erdogan
A court in Istanbul has sentenced comedian Deniz Gektas to 19 months in prison for 'insulting' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and for 'offending religious values' during a June stand-up show.
An Istanbul court on Monday sentenced comedian Deniz Gektas to 19 months in prison. The ruling followed charges of 'insulting' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and of 'offending religious values.'
The charges stemmed from remarks the comedian made during a stand-up comedy performance held in June this year. The trial took place in Istanbul, with the verdict delivered on Monday.
The case fits into a broader pattern in which Turkish authorities have repeatedly applied laws against insulting the head of state to target critics, journalists and artists. The source report does not provide further detail on the court's reasoning or on any possible appeal.
