Turkish stand-up comedian Deniz Göktaş has been arrested in Istanbul over a comedy performance that prosecutors say insulted Islam and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
A court ordered Göktaş to remain in custody after he was detained at Istanbul Airport on his return from a holiday. The performance at the centre of the case has been viewed more than 9.4 million times on YouTube.
Prosecutors accuse the comedian of “inciting hatred and hostility” through his stage routine, as well as insulting President Erdoğan.
Images of Göktaş being led away from the airport in handcuffs quickly spread on social media, drawing criticism from supporters who described the arrest as another attack on freedom of expression.
His detention comes as Turkish authorities continue a broader crackdown on critics, activists and opposition voices ahead of next week’s NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara.
The summit, scheduled for 7 and 8 July, will be hosted by President Erdoğan and attended by United States President Donald Trump, European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Security has been tightened across the capital, with tens of thousands of officers expected to be deployed during the meeting.
In recent weeks, authorities have blocked access to the social media accounts of several LGBT+ organisations and activists. More than 200 people have also been detained ahead of the summit.
Last month, journalists, lawyers, academics, trade unionists, environmental campaigners and LGBT activists were among those taken into custody.
The Turkish government has banned public demonstrations in Ankara until 10 July.
Independent media organisations have also complained that they were denied accreditation to cover the NATO summit.
NATO said it depends on the host country to provide media access but remains in contact with Turkish authorities over the issue.
Among those detained in late June were volunteers from the Tema Foundation, one of Turkey’s best-known environmental organisations.
The foundation said many of those detained were retired people returning from a nature trip and that most were later released.
Göktaş’s arrest has added to growing concerns among rights groups and opposition figures, who say Turkish authorities are increasingly using criminal investigations to silence critics and restrict public dissent.
