Supreme Court Reverses Judgment on Fazıl Say

Penal Department no.8 of the Supreme Court has reversed the 10-month jail term imposed on pianist and composer Fazıl Say with the charges of "degrading religious values" due to his tweets.

According to news by Mesut Hasan Benli from Hürriyet daily, the Chamber has ruled in its decision taken by a majority vote that Say's sharings should be interpreted as part of the freedom of thought and freedom of expression.

Tweets subjected to the trial

Here are Say's tweets subjected to the trial:

"You say wine will flow on the rivers [of heaven], is the heaven a bar room? You say I will give each believers two houris, is the heaven a brothel? I don't know whether you've noticed but wherever you encounter a prick, mean tabloid journalist, thief buffoon, they are all.., is this a paradox?

"Muezzin recited the evening adhan in 22 seconds. Prestissimmo con fuco! Why are you in a rush? A lover? Raki table?"

"Is god something that you will die for or kill for by becoming an animal? Think about it."

Say's testimonies

Say had denied the accusation in his testimony that he gave to Prosecutor Erhan Gülcan on May 15, 2012 by asserting even though he was the one who tweeted those, they were mostly citations.

"I have no intent to insult, or degrade in anything I wrote or stated on Twitter", said Say at the first trial heard on October 18, 2012.

Reactions from then government

Then Vice Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ upon the judgment said, "We don't desire anyone to be punished for expressing their thoughts but no one has the right to insult, swear others or degrade their beliefs.

"Fazıl say hasn't been punished for playing piano. He has been punished because his words were insult and contempt on the values which have been accepted by the considerable part of the society."

Then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had given a short answer to the question directed by journalists after Justice and Development Party (AKP) Group Meeting, "Don't take up my time with these." (BK/TK)

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