Workers' Party of Turkey Held a Protest in Istanbul's Kadıköy District on the Second Month of Detained Comedian Deniz Göktaş's Imprisonment

The party's Culture and Arts Bureau organized the demonstration in front of the Süreyya Opera House, with TİP Istanbul deputy Sera Kadıgil and numerous citizens in attendance. Participants displayed a banner reading "Freedom for Deniz Göktaş" and chanted "Deniz Göktaş is not alone. Fuldan Aytaç, a member of the bureau, read the statement and called the detention a grave injustice.

"Why was Deniz Göktaş arrested? Why is he still captive? she asked.

Aytaç claimed that in a country where art is turned into an enemy and speech into a threat, Göktaş was targeted and subjected to a smear campaign after one of his shows. She said he nevertheless stood by his art and returned to Turkey of his own will, but the court detained him on suspicion of flight. Aytaç alleged that Göktaş, whose job is to make people laugh, was processed in handcuffs at the police station and, because he kept smiling, was repeatedly walked down the same stairs.

She said authorities could not produce the "wanted photo" despite their insistence, adding, "You cannot make a guilty person out of someone who has not committed a crime." Aytaç noted that Göktaş interpreted realities for millions and brought them together with political laughter through his humor. She said he kept his promise as an artist and remained at peace even in detention, inspiring hope and courage to those outside. "Deniz's upright stance still does not eliminate the great injustice done to him," she concluded.

After the statement, comedian Akın Aslan, a friend of Göktaş, spoke and shared a greeting Göktaş had sent to the participants. TİP's Culture and Arts Bureau organized the statement on the second month of detained comedian Deniz Göktaş's imprisonment.