Comedian faces three-year prison sentence over Sultan Suleiman joke

An indictment has been prepared against comedian Tuba Ulu following a joke about Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent made during a stand-up performance.

The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is seeking a prison sentence of up to three years for Ulu on charges of "inciting the public into hatred and hostility."

The accusation concerns the joke where Ulu said, "even Sultan Suleiman married his fuck buddy," referring to the sultan's relationship with Hürrem Sultan.

A clip from the performance containing the remark circulated on social media last month, leadint o a targeted campaign against the comedian and a subsequent criminal investigation. 

Ulu was detained and accused of insulting historical, national, and spiritual values. She was later released under judicial control.

Following her release, she issued an apology on social media, sayign, "To perform satire, it may be necessary to stretch or exaggerate some boundaries, and the adjustment might be off for some people."

Ulu’s accounts on X and YouTube were also blocked from access after the incident. (HA/VK)