Turkish pianist Fazıl Say sentenced to 10 months in prison for blasphemy in retrial

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

The 19th Istanbul Peace Court sentenced Say to 10 months in prison but since Turkish pianist Fazıl Say has no criminal record, the court suspended the sentence and ordered supervised liberty. DHA photo

World-renowned Turkish pianist Fazıl Say, who was sentenced to 10 months in prison for blasphemy in April, was again sentenced to 10 months by an Istanbul court today in a retrial. 

Say had received a suspended 10-month prison sentence on charges of “insulting religious beliefs held by a section of the society,” for re-tweeting several lines, which are attributed to poet Omar Khayyam.

Say’s lawyers had demanded his suspension be canceled. His demand had been accepted by the court, and the court had paved the way for Say to be re-tried.

The 19th Istanbul Peace Court sentenced Say to 10 months in prison but since Say has no criminal record, the court suspended the sentence and ordered supervised liberty. 

If Say does not commit another crime within two years, the case will be dropped. 

The pianist will be able to appeal the verdict at the Supreme Court of Appeals.

Say was convicted after retweeted the several lines attributed to poet Omar Khayyam: “You say its rivers will flow in wine. Is the Garden of Eden a drinking house? You say you will give two houris to each Muslim. Is the Garden of Eden a whorehouse?”