Jailed comedian Deniz Göktaş says video showing him handcuffed ‘staged'
Standup comedian Deniz Göktaş, arrested on Jul 3 after a video of his show went viral, said police filmed his transfer in handcuffs multiple times to create social media content.
In a letter to his audience shared on his social media account on Jul 7, Göktaş likened the incident to an influencer creating content:
"As you know, even though I came back and surrendered of my own will, they tried to handcuff me behind my back. I told them I didn’t consent. They did it by force. My glorious resistance lasted about 4 seconds. The police were twice my size—what was I supposed to do?
"Then, someone at the police headquarters must have said, 'Actually, it’s to create content for social media,' because—just like an influencer who, right as people were about to eat at a restaurant, saying, 'Guys, hold on a second, don’t move,' and snapped a photo of the table—videos of me in handcuffs were taken: from the front, the back, and the side. Since I managed to spot the cameraman and flash a grin in every single one, they were able to release the wide-angle shot from the back."
Göktaş's lawyer, Metin Sinan Aslan, had previously made the same claim, saying that the footage showing Göktaş entering the security directorate was not actually his first entry. "This is a production filmed four or five times in a row. So, it is not a natural scene," he told Kısa Dalga news site on Jul 5.
The handcuffing of Göktaş was condemned by human rights defenders and freedom of expression groups.
Deniz Göktaş formally arrested after explaining controversial standup jokes during interrogation
Göktaş, a popular standup comedian known for his socialist views, posted his show "Ölü Deniz" on YouTube on Jun 24. He had been performing the politically charged show for three years, concluding with a June show at the prestigious Harbiye Open Air Theater in İstanbul.
In his letter, Göktaş said his frustration over constant self-censorship overcame his fear for prosecution, leading him to publish the video:
"I posted this video neither expecting anything in return nor feeling brave for even a moment ... While young people are getting into so much trouble just for trying to protect their universities—and because they feel mayors, with whom they disagree on many issues, have been treated unfairly—as someone who claims to practice “political humor,” I’m tired of deleting even the most harmless sentences or beating around the bush out of fear that “might they misinterpret this?” or “might they twist this and attack you?” I’ve grown so tired of it that my frustration has now surpassed my already significant fear."
The video has been viewed more than 12 million times so far, while clips shared on social media have also gained millions of views. Notably, Göktaş did not monetize the video on YouTube.
Following the spread of the show on social media, pro-government circles including senior politicians launched a targeted campaign against Deniz Göktaş. In a criminal investigation that followed, Göktaş was detained at İstanbul Airport on Jul 2 upon his return from a vacation abroad and was arrested a day later on charges of "insulting religious values" and "insulting the president." Investigations following such targeted campaigns have been a common practice in the country in recent years.
Court orders ban on show
Yesterday, a court issued an access ban decision for the video on YouTube, according to the Freedom of Expression Association (İFÖD), a group monitoring online censorship in Turkey. However, YouTube had not implemented this decision at the time of reporting, and the video remains accessible from Turkey.
The name of the show, "Ölü Deniz," employs a wordplay, which literally translates to "Dead Sea" or "Dead Deniz." Aligning with this, the scene featured a figure of Göktaş's decapitated head.
The performance features satirical jokes about President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and opposition leaders. Göktaş also addresses long-standing issues in Turkey, such as the Kurdish and Alevi questions, alongside jokes regarding the Quran.
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