Pianist and composer Fazıl Say was sentenced to 10 months of prison.
Stood trial at Istanbul 19th Peace Court and convicted of “overtly insulting religious values of a certain faction of society” on April 15, 2013, Say requested the cancellation of his verdict suspension. He was retried within the court’s admission of request.
Istanbul 19th Peace Court convicted him of 10 months of prison again, ordering the suspension of verdict within 2 years of control measure.
The penal decision is expected to be finalized after the possible approval of Supreme Court of Appeals if Say appeals the case.
Fazıl Say sent the following tweets after the announcement of verdict:
“We will keep on working and creating for the future. No problem with that. If others are left in the dark, it is their problem.”
“I will continue live and create for tomorrow. I will create better works while thinking on tomorrow and as a free person.”
Some of the tweets on April 5, 2012 that led to Say’s conviction were as follows:
"Wine will flow from the rivers, you say. Is heaven a tavern? Every Muslim men will receive two concubines, you say. Is heaven a brothel? I don't know whether you noticed, but all nit, despicable, gossipy and thief people are uttering Allah. Isn't this a paradox?"
"It only took 22 seconds for the muezzin to finish his evening prayer call. Prestissimmo con fuco! Why this hurry? Lover? Raki table?"
"Is God something that you would die for or kill for like an animal? Think about this too." (EKN/BM)
* Click here to read the original article in Turkish.
