Turkish comedian gets jail term for calling Erdogan 'dictator' but released ahead of appeal

ISTANBUL (AP) — A Turkish court on Monday sentenced a comedian to more than 19 months imprisonment on charges of insulting religious values and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan . He was released pending appeal.

Deniz Goktas, 32, had been held in prison since July 3 after clips of his routine, which included a reference to Erdogan as a “dictator,” were circulated online.

He was convicted Monday of insulting the president and insulting religious values, receiving a combined prison sentence of 19 months and 10 days.

Presenting a defense that caused laughter in the Istanbul courtroom, the comedian said he stood by his joke that described Erdogan as having evolved from a “shy dictator” to one “confident in his identity.”

Goktas said political humor had been tolerated in the past and the laws regarding insult had not changed. “What has changed? Fragile leaders who can’t handle jokes or criticism,” he said in remarks published in Birgun newspaper and other opposition-backing outlets.

He also highlighted how his quips had not prompted any complaint until they were taken out of context and circulated on social media.

Goktas’s show, Dead Sea, was recorded in Istanbul in June and drew more than 9.5 million views after being uploaded to YouTube. The court heard there were 185 complaints submitted through a reporting system run by Erdogan's office.

Goktas was arrested after returning to Turkey from vacation and was held in Karatepe high-security prison in Tekirdag province, west of Istanbul.

Erdogan has consolidated power during more than two decades in office, and critics say he has steadily narrowed the space for free expression. Journalists and government critics frequently face investigation, detention or prosecution.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu , Erdogan’s main political rival, has been imprisoned since March of last year and is on trial on corruption charges.

Hundreds of mayors and other officials from the main opposition party are also being prosecuted over corruption allegations while the party’s leader was deposed by a court order — moves critics say are aimed at neutralizing the party ahead of the next elections.

Erdogan’s government insists that Turkey’s courts are impartial and act independently of political pressure.