Göktaş, who denied the charges, was arrested at Istanbul airport in July upon returning from holiday. His stand-up routine had gone viral on YouTube, attracting more than 15 million views. Prosecutors singled out a line in which the comedian called the Turkish leader “a shy dictator,” but Göktaş insisted there was “no criminal element” in his comments. “Dictator is not an insult,” he said during his court appearance on Monday, “it is a political characterisation.”
During the hearing, Göktaş retained his sense of humour despite 88 days in solitary confinement. “Three months have been taken away from my life,” he told the court, “but I quit smoking, so I'll add another three months to my life.” The remark drew laughter and applause.
Prosecutors had sought a prison term of up to 12 years. Outside the courthouse, supporters including fellow comedian Firat Aksal expressed surprise and relief at the verdict. “We hardly know what to do with our happiness,” Aksal said. “We are thrilled. To be honest we weren't hopeful of getting a fair trial.”
Göktaş's case comes amid a wave of arrests in Turkey that human rights groups say is aimed at crushing dissent.