Deniz Goktas rearrested after court orders release

Turkish comedian Deniz Goktas was rearrested Friday after a court ordered his release in a separate case, Turkish media reported.

Goktas, 32, had been accused in the earlier case of insulting Islam and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He was detained at Istanbul airport in July.

The private NTV broadcaster reported that a court ordered his release after an appeal against his July detention. Before the ruling could be carried out, prosecutors opened a separate investigation into Goktas, who is being held in the northwestern town of Corlu.

NTV reported that he was rearrested on charges of “praising a crime and a criminal” over remarks made during one of his performances, preventing his release from prison.

His lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment.