A Turkish stand-up comedian is under criminal investigation after calling President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "dictator" du...

A Turkish stand-up comedian is under criminal investigation after calling President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "dictator" during a live performance. The clip racked up 6 million views on YouTube in just three days before Turkish authorities restricted its visibility on X, citing national security and social cohesion. The comedian, Deniz Goktas, delivered the remarks in a set that also took aim at jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and made jokes about the Quran. In his bit about Erdogan, Goktas said the president had gone from being a "shy dictator" to one who had "made peace with his true self," framing the arc as personal growth. He joked that Erdogan must have stumbled upon a self-improvement video online and decided to stop holding himself back. Turkish authorities moved quickly. The section of the clip referencing Erdogan was restricted on X under national security and social cohesion grounds, according to journalist Manolis Kostidis, who reported the story from Turkey. Goktas identifies as a left-wing Alevi, a minority religious community in Turkey that has historically faced discrimination. The investigation adds to a long list of cases in which Turkish citizens have faced prosecution for insulting the president, a criminal offense under Turkish law carrying up to four years in prison. The case is drawing attention beyond Turkey's borders as the European Union is currently engaged in talks aimed at relaunching EU-Turkey relations. EU officials met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan this week, with the Hurriyet newspaper describing the visit as aimed at "re-energizing" ties between Brussels and Ankara. #Turkey #Erdogan #FreedomOfSpeech