Turkish comedian Deniz Göktaş was convicted of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan but was released pending an appeal.

What it means

Turkish comedian Deniz Göktaş was convicted by a court for insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a stand-up comedy show. He received a sentence but was released pending an appeal, meaning the conviction is not yet final. The case highlights Turkey's use of a law that criminalizes insulting the president, which has been applied to many journalists, activists, and comedians.

Accuracy & sourcesGrounded

The claim is solidly reported by multiple reputable news outlets (including DW, BBC, AP, and others) that cite court proceedings and official statements. The reporting is close to the primary source (the court decision), and the consistency across outlets supports the accuracy of the basic facts.

How new

The event was reported on 28 September 2026, making it genuinely new.

Go deeper

• Euronews — first to publish