Turkish police forces on July 2 detained popular stand-up comedian Deniz Goktas at Istanbul Airport during a passport control check upon his return to Turkey from a trip abroad, according to local media reports.

As reported by IntelliNews on June 26, Goktas described Erdogan as having transitioned from a "shy dictator" to one who is "at peace with his own identity" during his performance.

From CIMER to prosecutors

“A total of 185 CIMER [presidential communications center] applications submitted to the Istanbul chief public prosecutor's office regarding Imran Deniz Goktas were evaluated collectively as they pertained to the same subject and an investigation was initiated against him within the scope of the crime of 'publicly degrading the religious values adopted by a section of the public',” the Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s office has said in a written statement as circulated by the media.

“Deniz Goktas was apprehended at Istanbul Airport on 02/07/2026. Procedures are underway for the suspect to be taken into custody by teams from the Istanbul security branch directorate. The law enforcement unit conducting the investigation. The investigation is being meticulously carried out by the Istanbul chief public prosecutor's office,” the statement added.

Under the online CIMER system, complaints or other kinds of applications are directly filed at the Turkish presidency. Then, the officials at the Turkish presidency transfer the required applications to the related governmental bodies.

Watched 8.6mn times

The investigation follows the widespread social media success of Goktas’ latest stand-up special, Ölü Deniz (Dead Sea). The performance, which has so far garnered 8.6mn views after being uploaded on YouTube on June 24, features a biting, satirical critique of Turkey’s current political landscape and societal pressures.

Legal proceedings were initiated after segments of the show were circulated on social media, prompting calls for censorship. As reported by IntelliNews on June 28, portions of the special posted on X (formerly Twitter) had been blocked from access in Turkey by a court order under the pretext of "national security."

Step by step, the well-known path

The detention was triggered following a sustained campaign against Goktas by pro-government media and social media trolls.

Preparation of the public by trolls for the arrest of a target is the first step of the well-known path that ends in jail, IntelliNews noted on June 30, after the Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s office said on June 29 that it had launched a prosecution against Goktas.

“Then, access bans or content removals follow and a prosecutor orders detention. Goktas’ return from abroad is now awaited,” this publication added.