In Turkey, comedian Müjdat Gezen faces prison for insulting Erdogan

Known for his outspokenness and his cheerfulness, despite chronic back pain, Müjdat Gezen could be the latest victim in the battle launched by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan against those he derisively calls “

so-called artists

”.

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After half a century of career, this Turkish theatrical man, actor and writer thought he had known everything: numerous awards, an appointment as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador and even a short stay in Turkish jails in 1980. But in at the age of 77, his life is at risk of yet another twist: tried for having "

insulted

" the Turkish president, he risks further imprisonment.

The court's decision is expected Monday.

The comedian found himself in court with his colleague Metin Akpinar, aged 79, for remarks made during a television program on the opposition channel Halk TV.

“

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, you cannot test our patriotism.

Stay in your place,

”Müjdat Gezen said on the show.

Metin Akpinar, for his part, went even further by declaring that "

if we fail to achieve democracy, (...) the leader could end up being hanged by his feet or poisoned in a cellar, as has happened in all fascisms

”.

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Up to four years in prison required

These comments greatly displeased Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom human rights defenders accuse of drifting into authoritarianism, especially since an attempted coup against him in 2016. A prosecutor has requested sentences of up to four years and eight months of prison against the two septuagenarian actors.

"

My name has even been banned from crosswords,

" joked Müjdat Gezen in a telephone interview with AFP.

The day after the show on Halk TV, police went to the comedian's house to take him to the prosecutor's office.

Seeing police officers at his doorstep brought back bad memories for Müjdat Gezen, who spent 20 days in prison after Turkey's 1980 military coup.

His book on Nazim Hikmet, a communist poet who died in exile in Moscow in 1963 and still revered as one of the greatest names in Turkish poetry, was banned after the putsch.

"

I was shackled to take me to prison with fifty criminals, including murderers and smugglers,

" recalled the writer.

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Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, the comedian continues to express his fears about the direction taken by his country under Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“

Turkey has a record number of journalists in prison.

We had never seen this in all of Turkey's history.

It's overwhelming,

”he told AFP.

Author of over 50 books and founder of a cultural center in Istanbul, Müjdat Gezen claims to have "

criticized or parodied politicians in their presence

" for decades without being worried.

If his popularity and determination earned him the appointment of UNICEF goodwill ambassador in 2007, Müjdat Gezen now fears that the long tradition of critical artists in Turkey will disappear.

"

Art is by nature in opposition (...) It is not for the president to define the conduct of artists

", he said, regretting to see increasing self-censorship among artists who prefer to remain "

apolitical

".

Today, the writer has had to adapt: ​​his lawyers now reread his manuscripts before their publication, to avoid further legal proceedings.

Despite his misadventures, Müjdat Gezen remains optimistic about Turkey's future.

Comparing his country to a ship arriving at the end of a painful crossing, he is convinced that "

one day, someone will be able to cry" land in sight! "

"

In recent years, several thousand people with very different profiles, including a former Miss Turkey and high school students, have been convicted or prosecuted for "

insulting the head of state

".

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly threatened his detractors to make them "

pay the price

".