Comedian Deniz Göktaş, who had an investigation launched against him due to his stand-up show titled 'Ölü Deniz' (Dead Sea) on charges of 'degrading religious values' and later 'insulting the President', was arrested after being detained at the airport upon his return from abroad.

Göktaş, who spent the night in custody and was referred to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan in the morning, gave his statement to the prosecutor for approximately 2 hours. Göktaş, who was referred to the criminal judgeship of peace by the prosecutor's office with a request for arrest, was arrested by court order.

Citizens who arrived in front of the courthouse as of the morning hours protested Göktaş’s arrest. In the courthouse corridor, they chanted slogans such as “Deniz Göktaş is not alone” and “Shoulder to shoulder against fascism.” In addition to citizens, many political parties—primarily the CHP, SOL Party, Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), Workers' Party of Türkiye (TİP), and Labour Party (EMEP)—as well as democratic mass organisations came to support him in front of the courthouse. Berkin Elvan’s mother, Gülsüm Elvan, the Actors' Union, and employees of Uykusuz Magazine also took their place in front of the courthouse.

On the other hand, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who was declared Chairman of the CHP by the court with an 'absolute nullity' decision, also came to the courthouse. While Kılıçdaroğlu and his team were being taken inside, barriers were placed in front of the journalists. Citizens who came to the courthouse for Göktaş shouted "Get out" to Kılıçdaroğlu's team.

"RELEASE THE CHP"

Journalist Barış Pehlivan, who followed the hearing, said that he spoke with Göktaş's lawyer Metin Aslan, and that Aslan conveyed two messages to him from Deniz Göktaş. Accordingly, following the arrest decision, Göktaş told his lawyers, "They will not be able to steal our joy." He told Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who met with him, "Release the CHP."

"WE WILL DEMOLISH THE FASCIST REGIME"

The press statement read in front of the courthouse included the following expressions: "The Palace government continues to pursue all kinds of lawlessness and attacks for the fascist regime it is trying to establish in Türkiye. It continues to deem harsher conditions of oppression worthy of trade unionists, journalists, politicians, and artists every day. Today, we say once again; you will not be able to silence the struggle of the working class and labourers of Türkiye, which you are trying to establish and suppress, and which they are trying to announce their rights and demands. The artists, intellectuals, democrats, socialists, workers, and labourers of this country will continue to struggle wherever they are for a democratic country where one can live like a human being, and will not stop until they demolish the fascist regime you are trying to establish."

A PHOTOGRAPH OF TÜRKİYE

The events experienced specifically regarding Göktaş, who reached over 10 million views after the show was published, revealed a photograph of Türkiye far beyond humour. Göktaş, who was first targeted and then detained and arrested with the label 'captured' in the country he came to of his own volition, also laid bare the reality of every single thing he criticised throughout the show. The fact that millions embraced Göktaş after the detention and arrest decision showed the true fear of the regime, which has lost its social support. The fact that broad segments of society, from the citizens gathered in front of the courthouse to the support statements made, stood side by side with Göktaş is also proof that the public cannot be silenced by judicial interventions and policies of oppression. Even though the regime gives the message that 'no one can speak' through judiciary-centred interventions, the public does not accept this silence. The broad social segments gathered in front of the courthouse with hundreds of citizens also show that this arrest decision cannot change anything.

GÖKTAŞ IN THE FRIDAY SERMON

The Presidency of Religious Affairs targeted Deniz Göktaş's 'Ölü Deniz' show in its Friday sermon, saying, "The consumption culture brought by the modern age, the unconscious use of digital platforms, and the mocking of our sacred values under the name of humour from time to time are distancing our children from our values day by day. Pure minds are facing the risk of getting lost in the whirlpool of superstitions, perverse movements, addiction, and peer bullying."

NONE OF US ARE ALONE

Some of the many messages of support that came to Göktaş are as follows:

Özgür Özel: Deniz is just one of the victims of this unjust order (kara düzen). We will either become servants to this unjust order, or we will collectively defend the gains of our Republic, inherited from Atatürk. “They will not be able to steal our joy,” Deniz… It is either autocracy or democracy!

CHP MP Murat Emir: You criticise comedians, but the real improvisational show in this country is being performed in the courthouse corridors. Seeing that the existing articles [of law] do not suffice, they instantly update the script and perform bespoke tailoring of crimes for individuals! The joke has also proven itself true!

SOL Party Istanbul Spokesperson İbrahim Aydın: This is not an exception or anything of the sort. In this country, people are still afraid of Denizes. A Deniz so brave that he kicked the gallows with his foot while being led to it. That Deniz is, today, a Deniz who frightens the government with a stand-up show. And this Deniz tradition continues.

TİP: They will not be able to break our courage; they will not be able to suppress our resistance. We will take back Deniz Göktaş; we will win this fight!

EMEP Chairman Seyit Aslan: You cannot silence humour, and you cannot imprison thought.

Izmir Bar Association (İzmir Barosu): Every branch of art, primarily humour, is a mandatory area for the progress of the country and society. Deniz Göktaş must be released immediately; judicial pressure on freedom of expression must end. It is clear that trying to pick out criminal elements from a joke will, first and foremost, become a subject of humour itself.

Comedian Sergen Deveci: It is a sad outcome for us that a person who tells jokes is being judged in this corridor at the end of the day.

Actors' Union (Oyuncular Sendikası) Board Member Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu: Living in a country where critical speech is not considered a crime is the demand of us all. We are against any kind of intervention regarding freedom of expression. We demand that our colleague Deniz Göktaş be released as soon as possible and that the process be carried out in accordance with the law.

Comedian Utku Ergin (Tutkum Boğuşmak): What Deniz did is to perform his art. There are sentences he said in accordance with the nature of stand-up. I hope he attains the freedom he deserves; it is an erroneous practice. I think not standing behind this is also an erroneous stance. I believe everyone needs to raise their voice.

Comedian Kaan Sekban: Look at what the entire judiciary is occupied with; a comedian's joke. The same judiciary released a cultist who married off his 6-year-old daughter just the other day, and the guy was welcomed like a hero. Who is it that is alienating the nation from religion, I wonder?

Producer Armağan Çağlayan: From the days when we laughed at the cover cartoons of the humour magazines Gırgır, Leman, and Fırt, and discussed the cover photos and news of the magazines Nokta and Tempo, look where we have come. Türkiye is a state of law!

Tuz-Biber stand-up team: The arrest decision given for our friend Deniz Göktaş is a decision that narrows not only a comedian but also the sphere of expression of humour.

Music group Peyk: We are sad, angry, and exhausted beyond words. But one day, surely one day…

Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Saray’ın zulmüne inat yine yan yana duracağız, published in BirGün newspaper on July 4, 2026.