Turkish pianist accused of insulting Islam

Istanbul court to decide whether Fazil Say, who has played with world-class orchestras, is guilty of inciting hatred

25 May 2012, 8:18 pm

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ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s state-run news agency says a prosecutor has proposed charging an internationally known Turkish pianist and composer with insulting Islamic religious values in comments he made on Twitter.

Anadolu Agency said Friday that an Istanbul court will decide whether to accept the proposed indictment against Fazil Say, who has played piano with the New York Philharmonic, Berliner Symphoniker, Israel Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, and Tokyo Symphony.

The prosecutor accuses 42-year-old Say of inciting hatred and public enmity, and insulting “religious values.” Say, who has served as a culture ambassador for the European Union, allegedly mocked Islamic beliefs about paradise.

The agency says Say could face a maximum of one and a half years in prison, if he is formally indicted, tried and convicted.