Deniz Göktaş: I used to comfort myself saying 'They can't put me in prison again,' turns out they can

An indictment has been drafted 63 days later against comedian Deniz Göktaş, who was detained and arrested after his show "Ölü Deniz" was broadcast on YouTube on June 24, 2026.

The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office assessed that Göktaş's words and statements constituted the crimes of "insulting the President" regulated in Article 299/1-2 of the Turkish Penal Code, "inciting the public to hatred and hostility or degrading them" regulated in Article 216/1, and "praising a crime and a criminal" regulated in Article 215.

A prison sentence of 2 years and 2 months up to 9 years and 8 months was requested for Deniz Göktaş on three charges.

Following the preparation of the indictment, Göktaş published a new letter. 

Göktaş said the following in his post:

"It will seem like I am making up excuses to write to you, but I have been arrested 2 more times since the last tweet.

Sometimes when I lose the lighter issued to me in the cell or something happens to a book I borrowed from the library, I get very tense with my outside reflexes, but then I would comfort myself saying, 'What are they going to do, they can't put me in prison again.'

Turns out they can. Anyway, Moby Dick is finished. The indictment is ready.

The hearing date is September 28. See you."

It will seem like I am making up excuses to write to you, but I have been arrested 2 more times since the last tweet. Sometimes when I lose the lighter issued to me in the cell or something happens to a book I borrowed from the library, I get very tense with my outside reflexes, but then I would comfort myself saying, 'What are they going to do, they can't put me in prison again'...

— Deniz Göktaş (@idgoktas) September 4, 2026

News Source: 12punto