Deniz Göktaş, who took the stage at Istanbul Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theater on June 24, staged his show called "Dead Sea". A lawsuit was filed against Göktaş, who also broadcast the show on his social media account, with a request for imprisonment from 2 years, 7 months to 12 years, on charges of "Insulting the President", "Instigating and Contempt for Justified Hatred and Hostility" and "Praising the Crime and the Criminal" due to the statements he used in the show. The first hearing of the case filed against Deniz Göktaş started today. The detained defendant Deniz Göktaş and his lawyers attended the hearing held at the Istanbul 14th Criminal Court of First Instance.
“THE ONLY COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SHOW WAS NOT FOUND TICKETS”
The hearing was also followed by many members of parliament and bar association presidents. Making his defense for the first time at the hearing, Göktaş said that he had been detained for 88 days and said, "I am accused of 4 sentences in the performance. I have been in a high security prison for 22 days per sentence. It makes me proud that my words have such an impact. I played the 4 sentences that are the subject of the case to more than a hundred thousand spectators and hundreds of thousands of people did not see any reason for complaint in this. I played in the most well-known halls of the city all over Türkiye. The only complaint was that no tickets could be found."
“IT WAS TRAGIC”
Stating that he was abroad when he received the detention order against him, Göktaş said, "I broadcast the show on June 24. I paid approximately half a million worth of military service money. I guess a person seeking asylum would not pay half a million worth of military service money. All my close friends emigrated because they did not see a future here. For this reason, after my tour ended, I went to them and tried to persuade them to return. It was very tragic to read the news that he had escaped in front of them."
"I DID NOT WANT TO MEET WITH KILIÇDAROGLU"
Talking about the situation he had with CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu after he was referred to the courthouse, Göktaş said, "While I was waiting to be taken to the judgeship after the prosecutor's interrogation, my family, my lawyers and I were asked, 'Do you want to meet Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu?' I said that I did not want to meet. Despite this, I was made to meet with him in the courthouse corridor with the guidance of a commissioner. As if the backhandcuffs were not enough, I was also made to meet with Kılıçdaroğlu. I did not have such a meeting." "I didn't want it, I spoke harshly so that he couldn't come out and advertise." he said.
JUDGE: EVEN THE STAND-UP SHOW TOOK 1.5 HOURS
The judge intervened while Deniz Göktaş was making his defense and asked Göktaş to collect his defense by saying, "Even the stand-up show took 1 and a half hours." People in the hall reacted to this situation. Thereupon, Göktaş said, "I have been in prison for 88 days. I have no doubt of escaping, I returned from abroad on my own. 3 months of my life were stolen. These were the 3 months when I felt the most free and crowded in my life. Hundreds of letters arrived. There is no crime in anything I said. I demand my acquittal and release."
PROSECUTOR REQUESTED RELEASE
Following the statements of Göktaş's lawyers, the public prosecutor announced his opinion on the merits. The prosecutor requested that Göktaş be punished for the crimes of "publicly inciting the public to hatred and hostility", "insulting the President" and "praising the crime and the criminal" and that he be released with the verdict.
WAS RELEASED
After the break, the decision was announced. The court decided to release Deniz Göktaş.
