More than 120 writers, illustrators, journalists, publishers, theatre professionals, musicians, folk poets, cartoonists and artists living across Europe have issued a joint statement calling for the release of Turkish stand-up satirist Deniz Göktaş. The signatories stressed that humour, satire and art are indispensable elements of democratic societies and called for the pre-trial detention order to be reviewed in light of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
BRUSSELS, 05.07.2026-A broad group of writers, illustrators, journalists, publishers and artists living in Europe has issued a joint appeal calling for the release of Turkish stand-up satirist Deniz Göktaş.
The statement was signed by 124 names from Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Ireland. Among the signatories are one of Germany’s first Turkish-origin cabaret artists, Şinasi Dikmen; theatre figures Atilla Cansever, İbrahim Yarar, Şaban Ol and Hilal Nesin; folk poets Âşık Şahturna and Ozan Emekçi; artist Ferhat Tunç; rapper Ezhel; journalists and writers Doğan Özgüden, İnci Tuğsavul, Osman Okkan, Gürsel Köksal, Atilla Keskin, Can Dündar, Nihat Kemal Ateş, Haydar Eroğlu and Murat Tuncel; cartoonists İsmail Doğan, Hayati Boyacıoğlu and Erdoğan Karayel; and humour writer Erdinç Utku.
Freedom of expression at the centre
In the joint statement, the signatories emphasized that freedom of thought and expression, art and humour are inseparable parts of democratic life.
They underlined that artists and satirists have, throughout history, produced works that critically examine those in power, social contradictions and everyday life. Such creative expression, they said, is one of the most vital domains of freedom of expression.
“Criticism, humour and art must be protected”
The statement stressed that criticism, humour and art are not areas to be punished in democratic societies, but values that must be protected.
According to the signatories, disagreeing with an opinion can never justify silencing it through criminal sanctions. They also recalled the fundamental principles of the rule of law, including the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair trial and the principle of proportionality.
Reference to Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights
The signatories drew attention to Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Türkiye is a party. They noted that freedom of expression protects not only ideas that are welcomed or considered harmless, but also those that are disturbing, critical or humorous.
The statement also referred to the European Court of Human Rights’ ruling in Eon v. France, in which the Court emphasized that satire is a legitimate form of expression which, by its nature, may involve exaggeration and provocation, and that punishing such expression can have a chilling effect on democratic public debate.
“Humour that refuses to remain silent is thought that cannot be silenced”
One of the central sentences of the appeal reads:
“Humour that refuses to remain silent is thought that cannot be silenced.”
The signatories placed the case of Deniz Göktaş within a broader discussion on artistic freedom, satire and democratic culture.
Anatolia’s tradition of humour and satire
The statement also referred to Anatolia’s long tradition of humour and satire, mentioning Nasreddin Hodja, Bektashi anecdotes, Mevlana, and Karagöz and Hacivat.
It also pointed to Diyojen, founded in 1870 during the Ottoman era, as part of the institutionalization of modern written humour and satire. Against this cultural background, the signatories argued, artists and satirists must be able to express themselves freely without fear of criminal sanctions.
Concern over pre-trial detention
The signatories described the pre-trial detention order against Deniz Göktaş as deeply troubling from the perspective of freedom of expression and condemned it.
They called for the decision to be reconsidered in light of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Call for immediate release
Göktaş was remanded in pre-trial detention over several humorous remarks in his latest performance on allegations of “insulting the President” and “publicly denigrating religious values.”
The signatories said they expect Deniz Göktaş to be released immediately, with due regard for fundamental rights and freedoms.
A call to the democratic public
The statement concludes with a call for a future in which polarization once again gives way to peace and tolerance, free thought prevails, and joy also has its rightful place.
The joint appeal was signed by 124 writers, illustrators, journalists, publishers, theatre professionals, musicians, folk poets, cartoonists and artists living across Europe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksaVzHyClto
1- İbrahim Yarar (Theatre Director – Netherlands)
2- Erdinç Utku (Humour Writer and Theatre Director – Belgium)
3- Aşık Şahturna (Folk Poet and Activist – Germany)
4- Ezhel (Rapper – Germany)
5- Doğan Özgüden (Journalist, Writer – Belgium)
6- İnci Tuğsavul (Journalist, Writer – Belgium)
7- Can Dündar (Journalist, Writer – Germany)
8- Ozan Şiar (Writer, Artist, Poet and Journalist – Germany)
9- Haydar Eroğlu (Poet – Netherlands)
10- İsmail Doğan (Cartoonist – Belgium)
11- Birol Kılıç (Publisher, Writer – Austria)
12- Gürsel Köksal (Journalist, Writer – Germany)
13- Attilla Keskin (Writer – Germany)
14- Erdoğan Karayel (Cartoonist – Germany)
15- Ali Cabbar (Artist and Writer – Belgium)
16- Nihat Kemal Ateş (Poet – Belgium)
17- Tanar Çatalpınar (Artist – Belgium)
18- Sibel Dinçer (Theatre Artist and Musician – Belgium)
19- Atilla Cansever (Director, Theater Ulüm – Germany)
20- Mehmet Tanlı (Journalist – Germany)
21- Mehmet Emin Alkanlar (Journalist – Netherlands)
22- Adil Yiğit (Journalist – Germany)
23- Süheyla Kaplan (Journalist – Germany)
24- Ufuk Evlâ Bostan (Journalist – Germany)
25- Ali Bağseven (Arts Organiser – Belgium)
26- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hıdır Eren Çelik (Writer – Germany)
27- Murat Çakır (Writer – Germany)
28- Murat Saydam (Poet, Writer and Radio Host – Belgium)
29- Selçuk Şahin Polat (Writer – Germany)
30- Ferman F. Karayığit (Theatre Director – Germany)
31- Kasım Palabıyık (Theatre Actor – Germany)
32- Leyla Dönmez Suveren (Painter – Germany)
33- Ali Temiz (Musician – Germany)
34- Nida Sevindik (Actor – Germany)
35- Meryem Ağgül (Actor – Germany)
36- Nuhmettin Karagül (Theatre Group Manager – Germany)
37- Serpil Yıldız (Actor – Germany)
38- Pakize Palabıyık (Theatre Group Manager – Germany)
39- Maviş Güneşer (Musician – Germany)
40- Reyhan Kuyumcu (Director – Germany)
41- Fatma Çiftçi (Actor – Germany)
42- Gülşure Keskin (Musician – Germany)
43- Taner Tanrıverdi (Musician – Germany)
44- Orhan Çelik (Writer – Germany)
45- Ümmü Yılmaz (Actor – France)
46- Nurcan Keskin (Theatre Artist – Germany)
47- Mehmet Esatoğlu (Theatre Director – Germany/Türkiye)
48- Sevim Tarhan (Poet/Writer – Germany)
49- Ali Rıza Korkut (Theatre Artist/Instructor – Germany)
50- Erdal Boyoğlu (Writer – Germany)
51- Ali Haydar Nergis (Journalist – Sweden)
52- Faruk Eskioğlu (Journalist, Writer – United Kingdom)
53- İbrahim Eroğlu (Writer/Poet – Netherlands)
54- Yalçın Baykul (Writer – Germany)
55- Arif Bektaş (Journalist – United Kingdom)
56- Hasan Boz (Journalist, Writer – United Kingdom)
57- Sedat Sarıcı (Musician, Writer – United Kingdom)
58- Fergül Yücel (Sculptor, Writer – United Kingdom)
59- Nevzat Çopur (Painter – Belgium)
60- Kadir Kankılıç (Composer, Musician – Belgium)
61- Ali Çarman (Journalist, Writer – Germany)
62- Mevlüt Asar (Writer – Germany)
63- Prof. Dr. H. Neşe Özgen (Writer – Germany)
64- Zeki Rüzgar (Journalist – Germany)
65- Cem Duman (Publisher, Writer – Netherlands)
66- Medine Durmann (Journalist – Germany)
67- Aslı Filiz (Painter – Germany)
68- Kazım Gündoğan (Researcher and Writer – Germany)
69- Ozan Emekçi (Folk Poet – Germany)
70- Ümit Kaya (Poet, Musician – Germany)
71- Şükrü Yıldız (Journalist – Germany)
72- Kenan Taşkesen (Theatre Artist – Germany)
73- Zerrin Buğday (Musician – Germany)
74- Işın Ertürk (Journalist – Germany)
75- Ferhat Tunç (Artist – Germany)
76- Hasan Hayri Ateş (Writer – Germany)
77- Yaşar Kahraman (Musician – Germany)
78- Seher Yeğin (Writer – Germany)
79- İlhan Atasoy (Cabaret Artist and Writer – Germany)
80- Canan Kayışlı (Writer – Germany)
81- Kazım Cumert (Writer – Netherlands)
82- Cemal Akça (Writer, Photographer – Netherlands)
83- Recai Aksu (Journalist – Germany)
84- Ahmet Sefa (Writer – Netherlands)
85- Aytekin Kılıç (Saz Artist – Belgium)
86- Kamil Aydemir (Poet – Netherlands)
87- Bülent Kaya (Writer – Switzerland)
88- Agop Yıldız (Folk Poet – Netherlands)
89- Sırrı Ayhan (Writer – Germany)
90- Serap Varan (Poet – Netherlands)
91- Cahide Özer (Poet – Germany)
92- Gani Cansever (Poet, Folk Poet – Germany)
93- Ali Yıldırım (Writer, Artist – Netherlands)
94- Sabri Varan (Writer, Photographer – Germany)
95- Yaşar Çiçekdemir (Writer – Netherlands)
96- Murat Tuncel (Writer, Journalist – Netherlands)
97- Ali Gümüş (Poet – Netherlands)
98- İrfan Erdoğan (Writer – Germany)
99- Halit Umar (Writer, Poet – Netherlands)
100- Hilal Nesin (Theatre Artist and Writer – France)
101- Şinasi Dikmen (Cabaret Artist and Writer – Germany)
102- Şaban Ol (Theatre Director and Writer – Netherlands)
103- Hıdır Murat Doğan (Artist, Writer – Germany)
104- Mustafa Temel (Journalist – Germany)
105- Selma Koçiva (Writer – Germany)
106- Mehmet Taş (Writer – United Kingdom)
107- Hayati Boyacıoğlu (Cartoonist – Germany)
108- Osman Okkan (Journalist – Germany)
109- Selman Şimşek (Poet, Writer, Publisher – Netherlands)
110- Gülnar Meral (Poet, Theatre Artist – Netherlands)
111- Berin Uyar (Writer – Germany)
112- Nilüfer Yıldırım (Poet – Netherlands)
113- Erkan Pehlivan (Journalist – Germany)
114- Seda Şanlıer (Journalist – Sweden)
115- Yener Orkunoğlu (Writer – Germany)
116- Çağdaş Gökbel (Journalist, Writer – Ireland)
117- Vicdan Özerdem (Writer – Germany)
118- Sultan Karataş (Poet, Writer – United Kingdom)
119- Olcay Jennings (Translator – United Kingdom)
120- Aslı Erdoğan (Writer – Germany)
121- Erhan Eren (Producer-Director – Germany)
122- Mustafa Bozdurgut (Journalist – Germany)
123- Haydar Doğan (Poet, Writer – Germany)
124- Bektaş Tosun (Poet, Writer, Researcher – Netherlands)
