Key facts
- A Turkish court ordered comedian Deniz Goktas jailed pending trial.
- Goktas faces charges of insulting religious values.
- Goktas faces charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
- Goktas's stand-up routine included references to Erdogan as a "dictator."
- The routine garnered millions of online views.
- The charges stem from Goktas's stand-up performance.
Turkish comedian Deniz Goktas has been ordered jailed pending trial by a court on charges of insulting religious values and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The charges are reportedly linked to Goktas's stand-up comedy routine, which included remarks that allegedly insulted religious values and referred to President Erdogan as a "dictator." The routine has reportedly garnered millions of views online. Goktas's detention pending trial raises concerns about freedom of expression in Turkey. The legal proceedings against Goktas underscore the sensitivity surrounding criticism of the president and religious matters within the country.