Selin Şekerci Appears at Courthouse to Support Deniz Göktaş Following Arrest
Comedian Deniz Göktaş was taken into custody due to his standup show titled 'Dead Sea' and following his statement to the prosecutor, a request for his arrest was made. Göktaş's statement revealed some striking defenses. Moreover, numerous celebrities, ranging from Selin Şekerci to Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu, arrived at Çağlayan Courthouse to show their support for him.
Source: Fatoş Erdoğan
Deniz Göktaş, a prominent comedian of our era, has found himself under scrutiny following an investigation initiated over his show, "Dead Sea". This show, which was performed in Harbiye and subsequently posted on YouTube, is the reason behind the current controversy.
The show, which reached millions of views in a short time, received numerous complaints to the Presidential Communication Center (CIMER) due to some political satires and expressions directed at religious values. Consequently, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office initiated an investigation.
Upon his return from an overseas vacation, Göktaş was detained at Istanbul Airport on charges of 'insulting the President' and 'openly denigrating religious values adopted by a section of the public.'
After procedures at the police station, the comedian was referred to the Çağlayan Courthouse. Following the prosecutor's interrogation, the case was submitted to the Criminal Court of Peace with a request for arrest.
During his approximately two-hour-long statement to the prosecutor, Deniz Göktaş stressed that his show should be evaluated entirely within the boundaries of humor and satire.
Addressing the accusation of 'denigrating religious values,' the comedian stated that the show was not new content and had been sold out in many cities in Turkey for about three years.
Göktaş pointed out that over 100,000 people had watched the show live and he had not encountered a viewer who said their religious feelings were hurt.
Defending his use of the word 'dictator' in the show, Göktaş argued that it did not carry an insulting intent. He stated that it is a concept used in political sciences and it was entirely satirical within the context of the show.
On the other hand, one of the details that became a topic on social media was his declaration of his profession as a 'comedian' and his income status humorously as 'high income' during the identification process at the courthouse.
In the wake of Deniz Göktaş's referral to the courthouse, a multitude of personalities from the art world also made their way to Çağlayan Courthouse, demonstrating their support.
Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu, a board member of the Actors Union, made a statement outside the courthouse, underlining the significance of freedom of speech and asserting that critical comments should not be perceived as a crime. Üzümoğlu, expressing their desire for their colleague to regain his freedom as swiftly as possible, conveyed the message, 'Deniz Göktaş is not alone.'
According to a post by Fatoş Erdoğan, actress Selin Şekerci was also among those who stood by her close friend. Şekerci, who remained in the courthouse corridors, made a brief statement to the press, stating,
'Deniz is a dear friend whom I deeply care for. He is also an artist and colleague whom I fully support. In my view, there are no legitimate reasons for him to be here.'
In the latest development, comedian Deniz Göktaş has been formally arrested by the Justice of Peace.
Göktaş, who was brought to court with an arrest request following the prosecutor's interrogation over his remarks in the 'Dead Sea' standup show, was ordered to be arrested under the charges of 'Insulting the President' according to Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code, and 'Openly insulting religious values' according to Article 216/3, as decided by the judge.
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