The famous Turkish humorist Deniz Goktaș was arrested on Thursday at Istanbul airport. Upon returning from abroad, he was accused of denigrating religious values.
Prosecutors have opened an investigation after certain conservative circles close to the Ankara Government denounced fragments from a show posted by Goktaș on YouTube, notes Antena3. The clip went viral, exceeding 8.5 million views in just one week.
Several comments made by the actor about the Quran were considered by critics to be offensive to Islam.
The show also included satirical references to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, linking him to the prolonged period he has been in power. According to Goktaş, Erdogan is a politician who has evolved “from a timid dictator to a dictator at peace with his own identity”. The actor also stated that he would have liked to become the head of state’s therapist, but he will never reach this position, as the post would be quickly filled by someone from the leader’s family in Ankara.
In addition to Erdogan, the comedian also mocked the incarcerated mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, who is an opponent of Erdogan.