Friday, September 20, 2013

Turkey: Pianist Sentenced To Ten Months In Prison For “Insulting Islam” On Twitter


From Today's Zaman:
An İstanbul court on Friday sentenced Turkish pianist Fazıl Say to 10 months in prison on charges of insulting Islamic religious values in comments he made on Twitter, after a re-trial ordered by an upper court. 
The İstanbul 29th Court of First Instance in April ordered the re-trial for Say after the defendant appealed a ruling by the İstanbul 19th Peace Court that sentenced him to a 10-month prison sentence. 
The court delayed the announcement of the verdict and said Say would be sent to jail if he commits a similar crime in the next five years. 
The İstanbul 19th Peace Court on Friday announced its decision after the re-trial, upholding the 10-month prison sentence, but this time did not delay the announcement of the verdict — paving the way for the pianist to appeal the verdict at the Supreme Court of Appeals. 
In early April, Say posted controversial tweets questioning whether heaven in Islamic belief is like a brothel or pub, because the Quran says there are rivers of wine and houris (very beautiful women) in heaven for those who commit good deeds while they are on Earth. 
Among Say’s most controversial tweets were, “I am not sure if you have noticed, but where there is a louse, a non-entity, a lowlife, thief or fool, they are all pro-Allah.”

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