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Turkish composer Fazil Say convicted of blasphemy and inciting hatred Turkish composer Fazil Say convicted of blasphemy and inciting hatred
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A Turkish court has convicted pianist and composer Fazil Say of blasphemy and inciting hatred through a series of comments he had made on Twitter last year. A Turkish court has convicted pianist and composer Fazil Say of blasphemy and inciting hatred over a series of comments he had made on Twitter last year.
According to his lawyer, Meltem Akyol, the musician was given a suspended 10-month jail term. Akyol also said that his client would have to serve the term if he committed a similar offense within the next five years. The musician was given a suspended 10-month jail term. His lawyer, Meltem Akyol, said his clienthe would have to serve the term if he committed a similar offense within the next five years.
Say, who was not present at the hearing, issued a statement, describing the verdict "a sad one for Turkey". He denied the charges, saying that they were politically motivated. Say who was not present at the hearing, issued a statement describing the verdict "a sad one for Turkey". He denied the charges, saying they were politically motivated.
The 43-year-old went on trial for denigrating Islam last October for a series of tweets earlier that year. In one of his messages he had retweeted a verse from a poem by Omar Khayyám in which the 11th-century Persian poet attacks pious hypocrisy: "You say rivers of wine flow in heaven, is heaven a tavern to you? You say two huris [companions] await each believer there, is heaven a brothel to you?" In other tweets, he had made fun of a muezzin (caller to prayer) and certain religious practices. The 43-year-old went on trial in October accused of denigrating Islam in a series of tweets earlier last year. In one message he retweeted a verse from a poem by Omar Khayyám in which the 11th-century Persian poet attacks pious hypocrisy: "You say rivers of wine flow in heaven, is heaven a tavern to you? You say two huris [companions] await each believer there, is heaven a brothel to you?" In other tweets, he had made fun of a muezzin (a caller to prayer) and certain religious practices.
Artists and intellectuals have repeatedly been targeted in Turkey for voicing their opinions, and the case against Say has renewed concerns about the Turkish government's stance towards freedom of expression. The composer has been a vocal critic of the ruling AK party and the Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Artists and intellectuals have repeatedly been targeted in Turkey for voicing their opinions, and Say's case has renewed concerns about the Turkish government's stance towards freedom of expression. The composer has been a vocal critic of the ruling AK party and Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Erdogan and his government have been accused of wanting to dismantle Turkish secularism curbing freedom of expression in the country. In a report published at the end of last month, Amnesty International called the lack of freedom of speech in Turkey one of the country's "most entrenched human rights problems". Erdogan and his government have been accused of wanting to dismantle Turkish secularism and of curbing freedom of expression. In a report published at the end of last month, Amnesty International called the lack of freedom of speech in Turkey one of the country's "most entrenched human rights problems".
The first government reaction after Monday's court ruling came from Ömer Çelik, minister for culture and tourism. "I would not wish anyone to be put on trial for words that have been expressed. This is especially true of artists and cultural figures", he said speaking at the London Book Fair, but added that there was "a court decision"." The first government reaction after Monday's court ruling came from Ömer Çelik, minister for culture and tourism. "I would not wish anyone to be put on trial for words that have been expressed. This is especially true of artists and cultural figures", he said speaking at the London Book Fair, but added that there was "a court decision".
Khayyám became a trending topic on Twitter in Turkey after the verdict, with many re-posting the contentious verses.Khayyám became a trending topic on Twitter in Turkey after the verdict, with many re-posting the contentious verses.
In 1998, Erdogan was jailed for "inciting religious hatred" after reciting a poem attributed to the Ottoman writer Ziya Gökalp. In 1998, Erdogan himself was jailed for "inciting religious hatred" after reciting a poem attributed to the Ottoman writer Ziya Gökalp.
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